Mayor pleads for calm after police shootout leaves suspect dead, officer wounded in Chester, Pa.
CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- The mayor of Chester pleaded for calm Sunday, following a police-involved shootout that left a suspect dead, a police officer hospitalized and tensions running high in a crime-weary neighborhood.
The incident happened Saturday afternoon near the intersection of Parker and Union streets.
Police say it started as a suspected stolen car stop, turned into a chase and ended in a shootout with three armed suspects.
PHOTOS: Officer wounded, suspect killed in Chester shootout
"The persons within the vehicle were uncooperative with police. Then there was an exchange of gunfire," said Chester Police Chief James Nolan. "To our understanding, someone in the car began shooting at police. Police returned fire."
When it was over, one suspect was dead, another was critically wounded, and a Chester Police captain lay injured.
The officer, identified as Capt. Alan Davis, a 25-year veteran of the Chester Police Department, was taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
He was listed Sunday morning in serious, but stable condition.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Shootout between armed suspects and Chester Police
The suspect killed in the shootout has not been identified.
A second suspect remained hospitalized at Crozer-Chester in critical, but stable condition, authorities said.
A third suspect, who was not injured, was in police custody.
In a news conference Sunday morning, Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland praised the restraint exercised by police during the incident.
Kirkland and other officials declined to release new details, but stressed a full investigation is underway.
In the hours after the Saturday afternoon shooting, the mood in the neighborhood where it happened gradually turned from concern to anger.
Some residents told Action News they believe police fired first.
Neighbors gathered after dark for a vigil to pray for the victims and their families as investigators processed the crime scene nearby.
The event began peacefully, but soon tempers flared, and a scuffle broke out between those gathered and police.
Video captured an object being thrown at police, who in turn pepper sprayed the crowd.
Kirkland told reporters on Sunday that the city's deputy police commissioner was hit by a brick during the scuffle.
Many ran from the scene, their eyes burning.
"It's a little bit of hatred and we have to get past that," said Hyreem Bradley, who was there.
As the bullet-ridden car was towed away from the crime scene, many said questions remain about what happened.
