Beer Bought at M.O.M.'s for Slain Plymouth Officer

He was a Marine, a colleague, a skating buddy, a father, a husband.

Brad Fox was all those things, and more.

His death leaves a void on the force, a hole in the team and the family.

On Monday night, at a Doylestown bar, those losses were silently acknowledged by a pint of beer that never would be enjoyed, resting in front of a barstool that would remain empty all night.

The beer sat on the bar at M.O.M.'s in Doylestown for hours, a tribute to the Plymouth Township police officer who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 13.

A note propped in front of the glass explained why it sat untouched above the empty barstool.

"This barstool is saved to honor Officer Brad Fox, a two-tour Marine, a K-9 officer, and a hero who lost his life while defending the community. He will be missed by many."

The glass, and the note, were left there by a friend who played hockey with Fox regularly at Face Off (now Bucks County Ice Sports Center) in Warminster.

On Tuesday, hundreds of mourners queued outside the Epiphany of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church in Plymouth Meeting as a public viewing for Fox got underway. A second viewing is set for 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, followed by an 11 a.m. funeral Mass.

Officer Fox's body then will be transported to the Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, for burial.

Fox, a 1995 graduate of William Tennent High School, was shot last Thursday while chasing a suspect in a hit-and-run car crash.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's office later said the suspect, Andrew Charles Thomas, shot Fox in the head as the officer pursued him on foot in an industrial area near the Schuylkill River Trail.

Thomas, 44, was on probation after pleading guilty to forgery charges in May, according to authorities. Police also said the car he was driving, which he crashed while fleeing from Fox, had been stolen.

Thomas was found dead with two gunshots to the chest, one "close" contact and one "direct" contact. The county coroner ruled his death a suicide.

Fox was killed on the eve of what would have been his 35th birthday.

A SSgt. in the U.S. Marine Corps for 10 years, Fox completed two tours of duty, 2003 in Iraq and 2005-2006 in Fallujah, according to his obituary. He was described as a "gifted" hockey player, having played for The Glaciers, Junior Flyers and William Tennent High School. He most recently played for the SLUGS and the Blueliners.

Fox had been with the Plymouth Township Police Department for five years, and recently graduated from the Philadelphia Police Canine Academy with his partner Nick, a Belgian Malinois.

The dog sustained a gunshot wound during the pursuit; at last report, Nick was being treated by a veterinarian.

Among friends and family, Fox leaves behind a young daughter and a wife, Lynsay, who is pregnant with their second child.

A fund has been established to raise money for the family. Contributions may be made to Fox Children's Fund , c/o Continental Bank, 661 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. For more information, call the bank at 610-941-5440.