The shooting stems from the carjacking of a Chevrolet Impala a few days ago in the 900 block of Noble. On Tuesday, a relative of the owner spotted the car on Roosevelt Boulevard near Fox Street and called police. Officers found the vehicle and pursued it into North Philadelphia.
Eventually a police cruiser was used to ram the car to a halt near the Raymond Rosen Housing Project at 23rd and Susquehanna.
The police were ordering the two men to get out of the car when one reached under a seat and police started firing. Both men were hit by police gunfire.
One resident said there were so many shots she and her grandson hit the floor.
"It was about 15 of 16 gunshots. I thought someone declared war around here or something," said Judith Johnson.
The suspects were taken to Temple University Hospital, where a police spokesman says one died at 4:08 p.m. The other was listed in critical condition.
No police officers were injured.
The names of the men who were shot have not yet been released.
