Philadelphia police sergeant released after weekend shooting that wounded three officers
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia police sergeant injured in a weekend shooting in the city's Wynnefield section was released from the hospital Monday, as two other officers wounded in the same incident remain hospitalized.
The 39-year-old sergeant, an eight-year veteran of the department whose name has not been released, was discharged from Penn Presbyterian Hospital in University City following treatment for a leg injury.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said he was relieved to see the officer leave the hospital alive after a dangerous encounter.
"We've been here far too many times where my officers don't make it, don't make it through, and I've been at it this long, and it's special," Bethel said.
Officers lined up outside Penn Presbyterian Hospital around 1 p.m. on Monday to salute and cheer on the recovering cop. He also had a police escort as he headed home.
The sergeant was one of three officers shot Saturday night.
According to police, the shooting began when officers encountered a suspect, identified as 57-year-old Eric Franks, near the intersection of 54th and Arlington streets.
Surveillance video shows Franks getting into a scuffle with officers before pulling away, producing a handgun and opening fire.
Several officers returned fire, fatally shooting Franks at the scene.
Bethel said the incident underscores the risks officers face in everyday encounters.
"I think people take away what they want to take away from it. But what I take away is my men and women survived a deadly encounter, and they are here to talk about it," he said.
Of the two officers still hospitalized, one was shot in the hip and the other in the face. Both are reported to be in stable condition.
"When you hear that three of them got shot, but they were able to survive, yeah, God was on our side that night," Bethel said.
Authorities described Franks as a business owner, retired firefighter and former Marine. The investigation into what precisely led up to the deadly confrontation remains ongoing.
James Funt, an attorney for the Franks family, spoke to Action News about what happened.
"He got a phone call from his son that a shooting had occurred. He is there to make sure everyone is okay," Funt said.
During the confrontation, police say officers were attempting to explain to Franks about establishing a crime scene in the area.
Police say Franks shoved a sergeant with both hands. Soon after, two officers attempted to detain Franks. As officers attempted to take him into custody, the situation escalated rapidly, according to police.
That's when police say Franks pulled out a gun, shooting three officers.
"I got hit. I got hit," one of the officers could be heard saying on police radio. "The officers shot need help."
One officer was shot in the face, another in the hip and a third in the leg.
A fourth uninjured officer and the three injured officers all returned fire.
Franks was shot in the chest and leg. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"Things, for whatever reason, escalated to where now a man is dead and three other officers were injured," Funt continued. "So something happened. What that was? We're hoping to find out."
Family friends said Sunday that they have many questions, adding that this is uncharacteristic behavior from Franks.
"We're just shocked that has happened to him," said Jesse Keller of Overbrook. "The cameras do speak for itself, but I can't judge. I'm just shocked about the whole thing."
Investigators recovered nearly 50 pieces of ballistic evidence from the scene, along with a 9mm handgun that Franks was licensed to carry, police said.
Bethel said preliminary information indicates Franks was not connected to the original shooting that officers had been investigating.
The 39-year-old sergeant is an eight-year veteran of the force. The other injured officers include a 30-year-old male officer with seven years, and a 43-year-old male officer with one year on the force, police said. The fourth uninjured officer is said to be a 21-year-old man.
