Philadelphia officer gets hero's welcome home after ambush shooting
WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett was released from the hospital Friday, three weeks after he was injured in an ambush shooting in West Philadelphia, allegedly by a man who says he did it "in the name of Islam."
Hartnett sustained three gunshot wounds to his left arm during the attack.
"Significant injuries he sustained that night. It is absolutely amazing he's here," said Police Commissioner Richard Ross. "Probably had he sustained them to any other part of his body, we'd be planning the funeral."
Thirty-year-old Edward Archer's mother tells Action News her son went off the deep end after starting to hear voices.
Video of the attack on Officer Hartnett drew global attention triggering literally hundreds of well-wishing greetings via cards and telegrams.
"You saw all those cartons come out full of nothing but letters and cards from people young and old, from East Coast to West Coast to Great Britain," said Ross.
A huge contingent of police formed a hero's caravan to escort Hartnett home to Delaware County where he is asking for complete privacy.
As for his alleged attacker, Archer is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Monday on attempted murder charges.
The FBI investigation into whether or not he had three co-conspirators in the assassination attempt is ongoing.
"Right now nothing we have thus far is connecting those other people. He knew them," said Ross. "Everything suggests he acted alone."
Officer Hartnett was back home Friday evening. In more ways than one, he will be coping with his near-death experience for a long time to come.
