Authorities say a Philadelphia police officer is recovering after he was shot several times during an ambush late Thursday night in West Philadelphia.
Philadelphia police commissioner Richard Ross says the officer was sitting in his patrol car around 11:30 p.m. at 60th and Spruce Streets when a gunman fired 13 shots through the driver’s side of the car.
The officer — 33-year-old Jesse Hartnett — was struck three times in his arm, authorities say.
“Shots fired! I’m shot! I’m bleeding heavily!” Hartnett can be heard yelling on police radio.
Sources tell Eyewitness News the suspect has given a full confession, saying he did it in the name of Islam.
“When you look at the video, this is one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen,” Commissioner Ross said. “This guy tried to execute the police officer. The police officer had no idea he was coming. It’s amazing he’s alive.”
Hartnett was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he underwent surgery for a broken arm. Ross says the officer’s arm suffered significant damage and that he has a long road to recovery, but he is expected to be okay.
“Fortunately he’s awake, he’s coherent.”
Hartnett returned fire and struck the 30-year-old suspect at least three times. The suspect tried to escape on foot, authorities say, but was quickly caught and taken to the hospital.
(AP / CBS Philadelphia)
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4 Responses
To quote Trayvons’s dad: Lets not pass judgement until we have all the facts.
Hmmmm. Radical person must have been retaliating for police victimization. I wonder what the divider in chief is going to twist this to his delusional ideology!!
Another case of workplace violence, I am sure. How many days will it take before you hear the suspect’s name, do you think?
the suspect was apprehended and taken to the hospital.