Police Open Fire On Suspect In Nicetown
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police say an officer fired his weapon after a man refused to drop a gun in Philadelphia's Nicetown neighborhood.
CBS 3 Eyewitness News is told the officers were initially called out to 17th and Cayuga Streets for a shooting. There they found a minivan that had been shot up by as many as 15 bullets at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The van also crashed into a utility pole. Police found the driver, a 23-year-old man, lying on the ground shot in the torso. The shooting happened right near a church that had people inside it at the time.
Investigators say a second man then got out of the back of the van as officers arrived and began to quickly walk away. Police say they noticed the man had a gun with an extended clip and the officers began to chase the man down about a block away to Blavis Street.
"That's when the officer ordered the male to stop, drop the weapon, show his hands, stop running. The male refused, he turned, he pointed the weapon in the direction of both officers. That's when one officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect in the torso," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Police say the suspect dropped two guns after the officer fired. The 24-year-old suspect was shot a total of three times, but it's not clear how many times he may have been shot by police. Investigators are looking into the possibility that he may have been shot while he was in the van before officers arrived.
Eyewitness News is told the two men were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition tonight.
No officers were injured.
Internal Affairs is investigating.