Drive-by shooting kills man in Germantown; plainclothes officers fire shots at suspects
Police say officers observed three men fire roughly 27 gunshots in the direction of a 31-year-old man from inside a vehicle.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two plainclothes Philadelphia police officers discharged their weapons on Sunday night after they witnessed a drive-by shooting that claimed a man's life, according to officials.
It happened around 6:42 p.m. near the intersection of East Pastorius and Baynton Street while the 14th District officers were investigating an unrelated homicide in the city's Germantown section.
Investigators say a dark gray or silver Nissan SUV pulled onto the block and two or three suspects started shooting at a 31-year-old man who was walking down the street.
Police say the officer's car was also struck.
"The officers were in an unmarked vehicle in the backdrop of this shooting, and in fact, their vehicle was struck one time," said Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace. "They weren't sure whether they were being ambushed or if there was a shooting of some other nature. They then identified the vehicle and returned fire."
Investigators say the suspects fired 27 bullets and hit the victim 15 times.
The victim was rushed to an area hospital by police where he later died.
The man's friend, who did not want to be identified, said the victim was visiting his mother and grandmother when he went to the store and didn't come back.
"He was a good kid...good friend. A person that would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it," said the friend. "It wasn't meant for him and it's sad that good people always be the victims of senseless crimes and things of that nature."
Two officers fired approximately nine gunshots before the suspects got away.
Investigators say it doesn't appear that bullets from police injured anyone, but the entire incident is under investigation.
"This is an area that's been plagued by gun violence in recent times and officers were deployed specifically to this location in connection with surveillance with some previous homicides," Pace said.
No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
