The dramatic scene tells the story - bullet casings litter the neighborhood tonight. Police Commissioner Chuck Ramsey says we are very lucky tonight that no officers or residents were injured during an intense gun battle between Police and a murder suspect.
The Corner of 64th and Greenway looked like a war zone - yellow markers highlighting bullet casings, a police cruiser with its window blown out during an intense exchange of gunfire between officers and a murder suspect.
It began about 2:30 this afternoon when officers arrived after receiving a tip that the suspect was there.
Lt. Frank Vanore tells Action News, "They went up to the male and attempted to stop and question him. He produced a fire arm, he shot directly at the police car. The officers did return fire."
The suspect then ran into the 2000 block of Avondale, where he fired at a woman officer who was just arriving in her patrol car. He missed her but blew out the rear window. She fired back through the windshield.
Other officers arrived who returned fire, hitting the suspect in the arm and pelvis. No officers or residents were injured in the exchange of gunfire, but several vehicles including patrol cars had bullet holes. A number of buildings and row homes were also struck.
The suspect is reported to be in stable condition at The University of Pennsylvania Hospital. If he survives, Commissioner Charles Ramsey says at the very least he faces four counts of attempted murder of police officers.
