PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A man armed with a screwdriver was shot by a police officer after officials say he entered a North Philadelphia police station and got into a physical fight with cops.
It happened Tuesday morning at the 39th Police District headquarters, located at West Hunting Park Avenue and North Third Street.
They say a 23-year-old man entered the police station and tried to communicate with an officer behind plexiglass. According to police, he had trouble getting his point across, and the officer had trouble understanding the man, who was wearing a protective face mask.
When the officer went around the glass and opened the side door, police say the man lunged at the officer and into the operations room. The two were fighting, and another officer tried to help. At some point, the officer suffered injuries to the back of his head.
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“When he fell during the fight or swings or blows — we’re not entirely sure. We don’t believe they were from the screwdriver,” said Sgt. Eric Gripp.
A third officer discharged their weapon and shot the man in the torso.
The second officer involved in the fight had a minor injury to his elbow. The officer with injuries to his head was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK.
The civilian is hospitalized in critical condition.
Initial reports had claimed the man stabbed an officer in the head, due to his injuries, but officials clarified that was not the case.
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