Sergeant Joe Szczerba was fatally stabbed while struggling with a suspect shortly after midnight.

Sergeant Szczerba had responded to backup other officers who were searching for a disorderly man near Penn Acres Park. He located the man at the East Roosevelt Avenue and Fithian Drive and, after a short foot chase, began to struggle with him. During the struggle the subject pulled out a knife and stabbed Sergeant Szczerba in the neck.

Other officers were able to take the subject into custody. Sergeant Szczerba was transported to Christiana Hospital where he succumbed to the wound.

Sergeant Szczerba had served with the New Castle County Police Department for 18 years.

Lieutenant Szczerba was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and awarded the department's Medal of Honor.

Photo & bio Provided by ODMP



Obituary

Sergeant Joseph L. Szczerba, was born on June 26, 1967, in Wilmington, DE, to Edward and Jean Szczerba.

Joe attended Salesianum High School in Wilmington DE and graduated in 1985. He furthered his education by attending West Chester University in West Chester PA, where he received his Bachelors of Science degree in Liberal Studies and a minor in Criminal Justice and Public Administration. Joe married his wife, Kathy, in 1992.

Joe was hired as a New Castle County Police Officer on July 11, 1994. After completing his training and graduating from the New Castle County Police Academy on January 13, 1995, he was assigned to the patrol division. After completing five years on patrol, he was transferred into the Criminal Investigation Unit in 2000, where he was assigned to the Family Services Unit. Joe also served in the Research, Development and Inspections Unit during his career.

Joe was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on January 23, 2008 and he was currently assigned to "E-Squad" as a patrol supervisor for the central district. Joe has received three unit citations, which included two for homicide investigations and one for a burglary investigation. He also received one commendation of merit for a robbery investigation. Joe also received numerous letters of commendations and appreciation. - From the New Castle County Police Department.

Joe was responding to a report of a disorderly person in the Penn Acres community near New Castle around midnight, Friday, police reported. While officers were enroute to the scene, they learned that the man was suspected of stealing an item from a vehicle. The 45-year-old owner of the car had chased the suspect, who assaulted him before fleeing on foot.

Officers set up a perimeter, and Joe saw a man meeting the suspect's description walking along East Roosevelt Avenue. Joe stopped his car and approached the man. The sergeant chased the suspect down East Roosevelt Avenue in Penn Acres, a community in the New Castle area. A struggle took place, during and Joe was stabbed in the neck and fatally wounded.

Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Edward J. Szczerba. He is survived by his wife, Kathy Szczerba; his mother, Jean Szczerba; his siblings, Stephen and his wife Karen, Edward Szczerba and his wife Florence, Karen (Szczerba) Campbell and her husband David of Carmel IN, Nancy (Szczerba) Anderson and her husband Paul, Gerald, Peter Szczerba and his wife Stephanie; his nieces and nephews, Stephen and his wife Chelsea, Ashley, Elizabeth and her husband Larry, Edward, Philip, Juliana, Andrew, David, Ann Marie, Jacob, Hannah, Christopher, Cameron, and Lidia.

Sergeant Joe Szczerba was fatally stabbed while struggling with a suspect shortly after midnight.

Sergeant Szczerba had responded to backup other officers who were searching for a disorderly man near Penn Acres Park. He located the man at the East Roosevelt Avenue and Fithian Drive and, after a short foot chase, began to struggle with him. During the struggle the subject pulled out a knife and stabbed Sergeant Szczerba in the neck.

Other officers were able to take the subject into custody. Sergeant Szczerba was transported to Christiana Hospital where he succumbed to the wound.

Sergeant Szczerba had served with the New Castle County Police Department for 18 years.

Lieutenant Szczerba was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and awarded the department's Medal of Honor.

Photo & bio Provided by ODMP



Obituary

Sergeant Joseph L. Szczerba, was born on June 26, 1967, in Wilmington, DE, to Edward and Jean Szczerba.

Joe attended Salesianum High School in Wilmington DE and graduated in 1985. He furthered his education by attending West Chester University in West Chester PA, where he received his Bachelors of Science degree in Liberal Studies and a minor in Criminal Justice and Public Administration. Joe married his wife, Kathy, in 1992.

Joe was hired as a New Castle County Police Officer on July 11, 1994. After completing his training and graduating from the New Castle County Police Academy on January 13, 1995, he was assigned to the patrol division. After completing five years on patrol, he was transferred into the Criminal Investigation Unit in 2000, where he was assigned to the Family Services Unit. Joe also served in the Research, Development and Inspections Unit during his career.

Joe was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on January 23, 2008 and he was currently assigned to "E-Squad" as a patrol supervisor for the central district. Joe has received three unit citations, which included two for homicide investigations and one for a burglary investigation. He also received one commendation of merit for a robbery investigation. Joe also received numerous letters of commendations and appreciation. - From the New Castle County Police Department.

Joe was responding to a report of a disorderly person in the Penn Acres community near New Castle around midnight, Friday, police reported. While officers were enroute to the scene, they learned that the man was suspected of stealing an item from a vehicle. The 45-year-old owner of the car had chased the suspect, who assaulted him before fleeing on foot.

Officers set up a perimeter, and Joe saw a man meeting the suspect's description walking along East Roosevelt Avenue. Joe stopped his car and approached the man. The sergeant chased the suspect down East Roosevelt Avenue in Penn Acres, a community in the New Castle area. A struggle took place, during and Joe was stabbed in the neck and fatally wounded.

Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Edward J. Szczerba. He is survived by his wife, Kathy Szczerba; his mother, Jean Szczerba; his siblings, Stephen and his wife Karen, Edward Szczerba and his wife Florence, Karen (Szczerba) Campbell and her husband David of Carmel IN, Nancy (Szczerba) Anderson and her husband Paul, Gerald, Peter Szczerba and his wife Stephanie; his nieces and nephews, Stephen and his wife Chelsea, Ashley, Elizabeth and her husband Larry, Edward, Philip, Juliana, Andrew, David, Ann Marie, Jacob, Hannah, Christopher, Cameron, and Lidia.