Philadelphia police identify officer who shot a dirt bike rider in Fairhill neighborhood
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A man is recovering after being shot by a Philadelphia police officer in the city's Fairhill neighborhood Saturday, police said in an update on the ongoing investigation Tuesday.
Officers followed up on a tip from a police helicopter that reported a dirt bike was recklessly weaving through traffic near North 6th and West Somerset streets around 3:20 p.m., according to the release.
An officer in uniform and a marked patrol car found the rider, a 31-year-old man, and told him the dirt bike would be seized because dirt bikes are illegal in Philadelphia. Authorities said the man became agitated and reached for a gun.
Another officer, later identified as Paul Moore, who was on backup, and behind the 31-year-old man, saw him reach for the gun and attempt to take the weapon, authorities said. When Moore wasn't able to get the weapon, police said, Moore fired multiple shots hitting the 31-year-old man. The 31-year-old was taken to Temple University Hospital by police.
When asked if the man fired shots, Deputy Commissioner Mike Cram told CBS News Philadelphia on Saturday it "doesn't appear at this time" that he did.
"We all know the problems that ATVs, dirt bikes, car meets cause for our city, right? The neighbors hate them. Let's be honest," Cram said. "There's nothing safe about their activity. They all know it's wrong. It's not uncommon for us to recover guns when we are doing dirt bike enforcement. And this is a prime example, the danger they pose to the city."
It's unknown if the dirt bike was stolen, which is also part of the investigation. Police recovered the 31-year-old's weapon at the scene.
Police didn't say how many officers were in the area at the time but did say about three to 15 officers were involved in dirt bike enforcement efforts over the weekend.
"We're a little over 180 dirt bikes and ATVs which is more than we had last year. Already halfway through the year. It doesn't stop them, they still go out," Cram said. "They still try to do whatever they want. They disturb the peace and tranquility of our neighborhoods. They don't care. They are a public safety risk. This is a prime example of why we do enforcement against them."
Moore, a 32-year-old man and a 6-year veteran of the department, was placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation per Philadelphia police policy.
