Arrest in Officer's Murder

PHILADELPHIA - May 18, 2006 (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police arrested a suspect in the case of Officer Gary Skerski, who was gunned down 11 days ago answering a robbery call. He was injured in a shootout and only Chopper 6 was overhead as officers loaded him onto a hospital gurney.

Police arrested 23-year-old Solomon Montgomery at 2:00 this afternoon in the 5900 block of North 19th Street.

Officers rammed Montgomery's vehicle to keep him from escaping. When he tried to run, police shot him in a shoulder and a leg. He is being treated at Einstein Medical Center.

Investigators tell Action News had been watching the area after getting a tip from a relative of Montgomery, who believed he was the shooter in the murder of Officer Skerski.

He was fatally wounded in the neck on the night of May 8th when a lone gunman robbed Pat's café in Northeast Philadelphia.

Surveillance tape shows a man with his face covered ordering customers and workers to put money and valuables in a bag. That man has been on the run since the murder.

The Citizen's Crime Commission issued a $125,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's arrest.

Montgomery is not charged with the Skerski murder, but he is being held on an outstanding warrant from California.

(Copyright 2006 by 6abc and Action News. All rights reserved.)

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