PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A privately employed landlord-tenant officer in Philadelphia shot a woman in the head while serving an eviction notice Wednesday morning, authorities said.
It happened at the Girard Court Apartments on North College Avenue, near North 21st Street, around 9:15 a.m. The building is located next to Girard College, in the Sharswood neighborhood.
According to Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore, a man and a woman got into an altercation with the landlord-tenant officer who was serving an eviction notice.
The writ-server felt threatened, officials said, and a knife was also involved.
“At some point during that contact, a physical struggle ensued, at which time the writ server discharged his firearm, striking the female resident in her head one time,” said Lt. Jason Hendershot with the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit.
The man and woman barricaded themselves inside until a Philadelphia police officer broke through. The woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition. She was later identified as 35-year-old Angel Davis. Police said the man, her husband, was not injured.
Hendershot confirmed the landlord-tenant officer was legally carrying the gun, which he said is standard practice when serving eviction notices.
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The landlord-tenant office is not affiliated with city law enforcement; the office is run by attorney Marisa Shuter, who was appointed to oversee eviction proceedings by city municipal court leadership. Shuter hires subcontractors to serve papers.
Shuter has not replied to a request for comment made through her attorney.
Officers do not wear uniforms, but they do have identification. The arrangement has been criticized for involving for-profit agents in eviction matters. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia took to Twitter following the shooting to decry the system.
The landlord-tenant officer is being detained as an investigation continues.
This is a developing story. Stay with KYW Newsradio for the latest updates.