Philadelphia officer fires shot at suspect who fled in stolen Jeep in North Philly: police
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia police officer fired one shot at a suspect after the person pulled out a gun during a struggle in North Philly on Monday afternoon, police said.
It's unclear if the shot struck the suspect, Frank Vanore, the Deputy Commissioner of Investigations with the Philadelphia Police Department, said.
The incident happened in the area of the 1000 block of West Dakota Street, which is just north of Temple University, at around 3:30 p.m.
Philly officers from the 22nd Police District were called to West Dakota Street to investigate a 2017 black Jeep Cherokee stolen earlier in the day on Monday, according to Vanore.
Officers at the scene contacted the owner of the Jeep, who said they were nearby and would be arriving shortly to get the car, Vanore said.
At about 3:20 p.m., Vanore said a man walking from 10th Street toward 11th Street on Dakota jumped right into the driver's side door of the Jeep while two officers were parked in their marked patrol car behind the stolen vehicle.
One of the officers hopped out of the car and a struggle ensued, Vanore said. During the struggle, the officers believed they saw the suspect have a firearm, which led to one of them firing their weapon once, according to Vanore.
After the shot was fired, the suspect was able to start the car and flee the scene, Vanore said. The man went west on Dakota Street and then went north on 11th Street, Vanore said. The suspect is still on the run and it remains unknown if he was struck by the officer's shot, Vanore said.
"Two officers in uniform standing by and someone tries to take the car right in front of them, that's brazen," Vanore said. "So [a] very dangerous situation that he put the officers in, himself in. So right now, we want to find this individual and take him off the street."
Vanore said the man had a thin build, ski mask, black pants, blue shirt and was roughly 5 feet, 10 inches tall. The stolen Jeep's window is also broken in the back, Vanore said.
The stolen Jeep might've been spotted around 5th Street north of Lehigh Avenue, but Vanore said police will have to review surveillance video.
The officer who fired their weapon will be placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation, Vanore said.
