Police: Officers Shoot Knife-Wielding Man In Fishtown
By Jim Melwert
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia police shot and critically injured a man in Fishtown after they say he threatened residents with a knife and then lunged at responding officers.
Police say it started close to midnight with a man vandalizing property in Fishtown. Police say he banged on a door along the 200 block of East Wildey Street. When the homeowner opened the door, the man forced his way inside, threatened family members, tried to cut a gas line in the kitchen and apparently cut himself with his knife.
The homeowner called police, and the man ran back out on the street, knocked down a light pole and then, police say, he lunged with his knife at a responding officer.
That officer's partner shot the man, but that didn't stop him. He lunged again at police, and another officer used his Taser on the man.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says, "Even after being shot and even after being tased, (he) continued to advance, so I'll take a careful look at it. The officers are on administrative leave temporarily. They'll undergo psychological counseling as well."
But, Ramsey says, it appears the officers followed protocol. "It's one of those unfortunate things when you have to resort to deadly force, but sometimes you have to."
He was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital for treatment.
A woman in the home suffered a minor back injury when she was pushed to the ground. No officers were injured. Police are not releasing that man's name, and are working to determine if he suffers from mental issues or was possibly under the influence of drugs.
