PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Authorities were searching for someone who shot an off-duty police officer Wednesday afternoon in North Philadelphia. That officer was listed in critical condition.
Sources say around 1:30 p.m., the 46-year-old cop was shot about eight times in both arms along Park Avenue near Pike Street, just off of Broad Street. He drove himself to the hospital.
Top police officials went to the scene of the shooting as part of the investigation.
Sources say the 13-year veteran officer has been out on “injured on duty” leave since 2018.
He was placed in surgery at Temple University Hospital.
Outside the hospital, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the incident may have been a matter of road rage.
“It appears our officer became involved in some form of a verbal altercation with the passenger that was in another vehicle, which we believe, at this point, to be a gray sedan,” she said, adding that the police department was fortunate the victim survived.
"Quite frankly we’re lucky," she said. "We’re very lucky."
John McNesby, president of the local police union, said it is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest of the shooter.