PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Police Department says a cop shot two armed men who were firing guns in the direction of officers who were responding to a call in West Mount Airy on Monday night. Investigators say both men have injuries that are not life threatening.
The entire incident was caught on camera, according to authorities.
Police say 911 calls started coming in at around 10:15 p.m. for a disturbance, a person with a gun, on Glen Echo Road which is near Lincoln Drive.
Officers from the 14th District responded and were talking to the person in the neighborhood who called. They found out that the call was involving an "ongoing domestic assault allegation and that no firearm was involved in the incident," according to police.
Police say that as an officer was talking to two people from that home, the officer heard two gunshots. The officer led people back inside the home and they took cover. Two other officers then reportedly went out the front door and saw two "individuals approaching the residence."
Related
"They saw two males — one holding a semi-automatic rifle and one holding a semi-automatic handgun — firing shots," police spokesman Sgt. Eric Gripp said at the scene.
"One of at least three 14th District officers...discharged their weapon multiple times in the direction of these two individuals, fearing that they were firing shots in their direction."
Investigators said one of the gunmen, an 18-year-old, was hit in the leg, and the other, a 23-year-old, was grazed in the face. Both were taken by police to Einstein Medical Center.
"Right now, we’re very fortunate that police officers were not injured and the two individuals — who were both carrying weapons, and are also being held in custody right now — we’re grateful that their injuries weren’t worse," Gripp said.
Police recovered the guns used in the incident. Investigators have not yet determined why the men were firing shots in the first place.
“This incident serves as yet another example of the type of dangers officers and civilians face on our streets,” said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw in a statement.
“The ease of access to weapons is one symptom of a much larger problem; a problem upon which we must work together across all city agencies and with our law enforcement partners."
As per protocol, all of the officers are on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the internal affairs investigation.