Philadelphia police officer shot dead in Kensington, suspects in custody

A 31-year-old Philadelphia police officer was shot and seriously injured Saturday night during a traffic stop in the Kensington neighborhood when a gunman opened fire, police officials said.

He was one of at least eight police officers shot in the city over the past eight months.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a news briefing that two suspects were in custody, including the person they suspect was the shooter. The other suspect is believed to be the girlfriend of the alleged shooter, according to two sources.

The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. in the 3500 block of F Street and comes just days after the city announced it was nearly tripling its police presence in Kensington.

During an emotional briefing at Temple University Hospital where the victim was being treated, Bethel said the shooter ran from the vehicle and fired three shots at the officer, who was hit in the neck. “His partner fought back,” Bethel said.

The officer, whose name has not been released, has been on the force for six and a half years, said police officials, who gave few details about the incident.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker described him as a husband and father.

Bethel said “75 to 100” officers gathered in a hospital auditorium and “we held hands and we prayed for our officers.

“Today I ask the people of the City of Philadelphia to pray for our officers.”

The victim became at least the eighth Philadelphia police officer to be shot since October, including Officer Richard Mendez, who was fatally wounded in January at Philadelphia International Airport while investigating a suspected police burglary. a car.

This happened days after a police officer was shot and injured at a Fairhill convenience store.

In October, three police officers were shot and injured in the city's Rhawnhurst neighborhood while responding to a report of a domestic shooting. Two police officers were injured in incidents earlier this month.

Staff writer Chris Palmer contributed to this article.