3 Philadelphia police officers shot in Wynnefield; suspect dead
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said officers encountered a 57-year-old man at the scene who became involved in an altercation with them.
Mayor Cherelle Parker and other Philadelphia officials give an update on the three police officers who were shot Saturday night. (6abc)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
Three Philadelphia police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed during a shooting in the city’s Wynnefield neighborhood late Saturday night.
Sources say the suspect who was killed is a retired firefighter.
The incident unfolded shortly after 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of 54th and Arlington streets, where officers had responded to reports of a vehicle that had been struck by gunfire.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said officers encountered a 57-year-old man at the scene who became involved in an altercation with them.
According to investigators, officers ordered the man to comply with commands, but he refused.
Surveillance video from city street cameras shows the man confronting several officers.
The footage appears to show the suspect getting in the officers’ faces and shoving one officer before being pushed away from the group and into the street.
Police said the man then pulled a firearm, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
Three officers were struck during the shooting. Authorities said one officer was shot in the face, another in the hip and a third in the leg.
All three were taken to a hospital and were stable as of Sunday morning.
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Listen 1:00The wounded officers include a sergeant with eight years on the force, a second officer with eight years, and a third officer with two years on the force, police said.
Investigators recovered nearly 50 pieces of ballistic evidence from the scene.
The suspect was transported to Jefferson Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 11 p.m.
His name has not been released.
Bethel said preliminary information indicates the suspect was not connected to the original shooting that officers had been investigating.
“Three officers, because of their training, because of their understanding of the situation – totally caught up by a surprise that the man was armed – were able to return fire and protect themselves, and they will survive,” Bethel said outside the hospital.
He added that the officers were “in great spirits” despite the circumstances.
“We are fortunate today,” Bethel said. “We come to this hospital too many times.”
The shooting remains under investigation.
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