Plymouth Township Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Thursday, September 13, 2012
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: 178
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 13, 2012
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Police Officer Brad Fox was shot and killed while involved in a foot pursuit along the Schuylkill River Trail, near the intersection of Conshohocken and Ernest Station Roads.
He and other officers had been investigating an accident when the driver of a vehicle drove around traffic stopped at the scene, prompting the officers to pursue the vehicle. The vehicle, which was later determined to be stolen, struck another car before the driver fled on foot along the trail.
Officer Fox radioed for backup and began searching for the suspect with his canine, Nick. As they walked up a hill adjacent to railroad tracks, the suspect emerged from an ambush position and opened fire, killing Officer Fox and wounding K9 Nick. The subject then fatally shot himself in the chest twice. An investigation determined that the subject was on felony probation at the time, and was also the prime suspect in the disappearance of his fiancee in 1999.
Officer Fox was a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran and had served with the Plymouth Township Police Department for seven years. He is survived by his expectant wife and young daughter. Officer Fox was killed the day before his 35th birthday.
In September 2014, Route 263 was renamed Bradley M. Fox Memorial Highway, on his 37th birthday.