The gunman has been identified as 27-year-old Daniel Giddings. Giddings was recently relased from prison for aggravated assault with a gun, and was wanted for assaulting four police officers after he was stopped for a traffic violation.
He managed to escape and was being sought when he was stopped by Officer McDonald at 17th and Dauphin around 1:45 p.m. after a report of a man with a gun.
According to police, Officer McDonald pulled over a car with Giddings and a woman inside.
Giddings made a run for it, and a wild foot chase began. It continued into the 2200 block of Colorado Street, where Officer McDonald was shot repeatedly in the chest at point-blank range.
A witness, who did not want to be identified, told Action New what she heard.
"We heard two voices and we thought they were getting ready to argue so we came to the door," the witness said. "Then we heard shots ring out, so we ran into the kitchen."
After shooting McDonald, police say Giddings punched a teen on a bike, and tried to make his escape. That's when he encountered highway patrol officer Richard Bowes.
Giddings was cut down in a hail of bullets in the 2200 block of N. 17th Street, a few feet from Officer McDonald's patrol car.
Bowes, a 12 year veteran of the force with a wife and three children was shot in the leg. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Philadelphia police officers could still be seen Tuesday wearing black bands around their badges. They're wearing them in honor of Officer /*Isabel Nazario*/ who was killed in a crash while pursuing a suspect back on September 5th.
Officers wear those black bands for a 30 day period. This marks the first time since the 1940's that two Philadelphia police officers have been killed in separate incidents the line of duty in 30 days.
"We cannot continue this kind of activity and behavior in this city," said Mayor Michael Nutter. "I do not know what is going through the minds of some of these individuals out here."
Shortly after the shooting, Bishop Joseph McFadden went to police headquarters, on behalf of Cardinal Justin Rigali, who's headed to Rome.
He spoke with the family of Officer McDonald.
McFadden says they're stricken with grief, but coping as best as can be imagined.
Officer McDonald's brother died a little while ago. He's survived by a sister, his mother, and his father.
Police officers lined up near Temple University Hospital, paying their respects as a hearse carried McDonald's body to the medical examiner's office.
Action News is told Officer McDonald was a talented athlete. He played football in high school, and for the past five years he played for the fire and police football league.
The league raised money for charity, including one that raises money for families of fallen police officers.
We're also told McDonald had a girlfriend who is a police officer in Northeast Philadelphia.
It has been a violent year for the Philadelphia Police Department.
Besides the crash that killed Officer Nazario, two other officers were killed since last October.
On May 3rd, 2008, /*Police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski*/ was shot and killed while responding to a robbery at a supermarket bank in Port Richmond
On Halloween, 2007, /*Officer Chuck Cassidy*/ was shot in the head, and killed, when he walked into a robbery at a Dunkin Donuts, in West Mount Airy
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