PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man is in police custody, charged with attempted murder, assault and evading arrest after police say he attempted to flee a traffic stop and fired a gun at officers in East Germantown on Monday night.
Around 10 p.m., officers pulled over the driver of a grey 1999 Buick Park Avenue in the 5800 block of Morton Street in Germantown, because the car's license plate appeared to be partially detached, according to police.
When officers ran a check on the license plate, they discovered it had expired in August 2021. They told the driver, 45-year-old Shahlem Groover of Germantown, about the expired registration, and police say he complied when the officers asked for his vehicle registration and insurance documents, though they said he appeared to be very nervous.
Police say the documents matched the car, but the license plate did not match the documents. When the officers asked Groover about the discrepancy, they say, he was incredulous and asked if he could get out and look at the license plate himself.
While Groover was outside the car, officers swept the interior for weapons and found none. When they told him to get back in the car, the officers said, they noticed the glove compartment was locked. They asked him to open it, but he refused and got defensive. Instead, they say, he rolled up the windows, locked the doors and drove away.
Officers chased him a few blocks to Mechanic Street, near High Street Church of God. There, police say, Groover jumped out of the car and ran. That's when the officers saw that he was carrying a hand gun.
When one of the officers tried to arrest Groover, he turned the gun on the toward and fired, missing him, and tossed the gun to the ground. The officers did not return fire, according to police.
Authorities say the officers eventually caught up to Groover and restrained him after a brief scuffle.
Police found several packets of narcotics in Groover's car, and they had the car towed away.
Groover is charged with attempted murder, assault on law enforcement, aggravated assault, evading arrest and related offenses.