UPDATE: Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m.
A 43-year-old Darby man was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Philadelphia police officer. Read more here.
Original story follows:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said it sounds like a 19th district police officer is expected to be physically OK after being shot twice in the abdomen in the line of duty in West Philadelphia.
Investigators said Wednesday night that a female and two males have been brought into custody without incident.
Police say the shooting happened Wednesday about 3:40 p.m. in the vicinity of North 60th and Summer streets. The 32-year-old officer and five-year veteran of the department was shot while he and his partner were conducting a "vehicle investigation," according to police.
The officers approached the stopped car from both sides.
"Without notice, the passenger of the vehicle began firing at the officer at close range,” said Outlaw. The officer was hit at least once. The driver of the car also fired at the officer.
His partner came to his aid and returned fire toward the suspects as they took off. His partner drove the wounded officer to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. It is unclear if the suspects were hit by gunfire or otherwise injured in the incident.
In all, the wounded officer was hit twice in the abdomen, and was first listed in critical condition before being upgraded.
"It sounds like he's going to be OK,” said Outlaw Wednesday night. “When we got this call, it came out the officer was in critical condition. It sounds like at some point, that's been [upgraded]."
Speaking outside of the hospital late Wednesday afternoon, First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said investigators know one bullet passed through the officer's body, but it was not yet clear what damage the second bullet has caused.
The officer's name was being withheld Wednesday evening.
The officer’s family, Outlaw, top commanders from the Philadelphia Police Department, the crime scene unit, Mayor Jim Kenney, and members of the District Attorney’s Office came to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
"It's unsettling, but I'm happy with the way the investigation is going,” said Outlaw.
"This is still a noble profession, and we're not doing this in vain."
Kenney called policing “a very dangerous and difficult job done by very brave people.”
“They go out every day to try to keep us safe and put their lives in harm's way and their health in harm's way, and we can’t really repay them for doing that kind of work,” Kenney said.
Even with the improved medical outlook for the officer, both Outlaw and Stanford expressed disgust that an officer was shot and critically hurt.
“The fact that you would shoot at a police officer that’s doing their job, you have no regard for life,” said Stanford.
“There’s absolutely relief that we’re not reporting on an officer death. But it doesn’t take away the anger that I feel, the frustration that we all feel,” Outlaw said.
“This has to stop. This absolutely has to stop.”
Stanford emphasized that any witness with information about the incident, no matter how minor, should contact investigators.
Anonymous tips are taken via phone or text message at 215-686-8477, by email, or through this online form.