Police say an off-duty 25th district officer saw the initial shooting and gave chase when he witnessed a teenager flee the scene.
At some point in that pursuit, the teenage victim was shot and killed. Police say the boy was a suspect in an attempted murder case. They also said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon that his mother and step-father are members of the Philadelphia Police force.
The boy, 15-year-old William Smith, is the son of a veteran Philadelphia police officer now stationed in the 17th district. Police say he has a juvenile record.
The victim of the initial shooting, an 18-year-old man, remained Tuesday listed in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.
"the off-duty police officer did catch him about a block away, " Capt. James Clark of the Philadelphia Police told reporters. "There was some type of physical confrontation and during that confrontation the off-duty police officer shot the male several times. "
Police say at this point the killing of the 15-year-old appears justified to them. Invesitgators for the police and the Philadelphia District Attorney are investigating.
Smith's alleged accomplice in the initial shooting yesterday is identified by police as 18-year-old Marcus Powell. He was arrested at the scene. Another suspect remains at large, according to investigators.
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