Local
Seven Philadelphia officers fired during West Philly confrontation; man remains critical
A man was critically injured Friday evening after Philadelphia police fired during an encounter on Funston Street. Police say he had been holding a gun to his head and later pointed it at officers; the shooting is under investigation.
A man was in critical condition after Philadelphia police shot him during an armed encounter Friday evening in West Philadelphia, authorities said.
Officers were called shortly after 5:15 p.m. to the 5100 block of Funston Street after multiple 911 callers reported a man with a gun in the roadway. Police said officers found him holding a firearm to his head on the porch of a home where he lives.
Deputy Police Commissioner John Stanford said the man made remarks suggesting suicidal behavior as officers tried to engage him. According to investigators, he repeatedly put the gun to his head, then walked toward a nearby vacant property. Police said he pointed the firearm at officers during the encounter.
Four patrol officers and three supervisors fired, police said. The man was struck multiple times and taken to a nearby hospital. Police said no officers or bystanders were hurt and that they do not believe the man fired his weapon.
Police had responded to the area the previous day for an apparent domestic-related incident involving the same man, investigators said.
The officers who fired have been placed on administrative duty while the investigation proceeds, a standard step after a police-involved shooting. Authorities have not released the man’s name or additional details about the investigation.
A resident, Tyree Lockhart, said he believed officers had tried to manage the situation before firing. Stanford also said neighbors had told him officers tried to persuade the man to put down the gun. The department’s investigation remains ongoing.