Police shoot rifle-wielding man on South Philadelphia street after declining property inspection, police say
A man holding a rifle was shot by police on a street in the Point Breeze section of Philadelphia on Wednesday.
The incident started around 11 a.m. when two deputy sheriffs and an employee of the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) went to a home on the 1900 block of Morris Street to inspect the property. They had a warrant to perform the inspection, officials said.
Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said a 36-year-old man answered the door, while armed with a rifle with a scope on it. He did not let the deputies or L&I enter; instead, he exited and started to walk away from the property, according to investigators.
The deputies and other witnesses on the scene then called 911.
Police said the man walked nearly two blocks to 16th and Chadwick streets, where deputies commanded him to drop the rifle. Vanore said that's when the man turned toward the deputies and one deputy fired a shot and struck him in the shoulder.
The man was rushed to the hospital and is in critical condition, according to police.
There is no word on how many shots were fired. No one else was injured.
Sammy Sor, who lives in the neighborhood and witnessed part of the incident, said this kind of incident is rare in the area and he's happy everyone is safe.
"First time in 10 years, something like that," he said.
