Darby resident Brandy Ezzie watched from her front steps as police pursued a stolen SUV and its driver, Charles Maye, along with a a female passenger, at a high rate of speed down Pine Street.
"He had the whole force on him, he jetted down Pine Street, basically, hit a pole and started running," a witness told Action News.
"The female got out and ran one way, the male got out and ran [the other] way." Ezzie said.
Officers began a foot pursuit through alleys and even a home on Moore Street. They then cornered Maye.
"When he got in the alley, he pulled the gun, pointed the gun at the officers and the officers fired," Darby Borough Police Chief Robert Smythe said.
Officers fired a half dozen shots. A parked car had its window shot out and Maye was hit twice in the leg.
"I was just scared for the kids because he was running and he didn't know which way to go," Ezzie said.
Investigators say Maye is a career criminal who was wanted for theft. An alert went out to police early Thursday morning warning Maye was armed.
A detective investigating another crime spotted the stolen vehicle outside a Collingdale pawn shop around 6:00 p.m.
"The first time I can remember in 41 years that someone actually pointed a weapon at an officer," Smythe said.
Police are still looking for the female suspect.
Charles Maye, meanwhile, is recovering at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
The three officers involved in the shooting are being placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
