The incident started around 7 pm when police responded with a double shot near Eric and Leiper streets. Police say a male suspect led police to a chase at 4700 Leiper Street, where he opened fire on police. Authorities say at one point during the chase, a Philadelphia police officer was nailed to a wall. It was then that a 28-year-old male police officer from SEPTA Transit took action to save the life of the police officer. Active sniper status on Arrott and Leiper streets now. A SEPTA police officer was shot. SWAT teams are coming in. We were just told to get inside near the stage. @ 6abc pic.twitter.com/l304o0NpiH – Bob Brooks (@ BobBrooks6abc) April 6, 2022 “He pulled out his assault rifle and fired, shouting at the officer to ‘go’ and covering the officer as he was being shot,” said SEPTA Traffic Police Director Thomas Nestel. The SEPTA officer was shot at least once in the abdomen. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital and treated in critical but stable condition. The Chopper 6 was overhead as police closed the Frankford neighborhood as the gunman fired his gun from the second and third floors. Several police officers exchanged fire with the suspect, but no police officers were injured. The gunman was later found dead from self-injury by gunfire around 8pm, police said Wednesday night. Two female residents were also shot during the incident. Both residents are reported as stable at Temple University Hospital. “Our thoughts and prayers are with this brave SEPTA policeman who suffered this injury. Here we are again in another night in our city and it is this completely and utterly unacceptable and reckless armed violence that is about to take the lives of three innocent people. “Grateful that it was not worse than it was,” said Sergeant Eric Gripp with the Philadelphia Police Department. The SEPTA officer is a three-year veteran of the force. Nestel praised his heroic deeds. “There are so many imaginary cops out there. It doesn’t matter what patch they wear and the mark on their chests. Cops do these things when their siblings are in danger. That’s what almost all of us as police chiefs know. “wait, but the heroism, courage and bravery that these people display every day is humiliating,” Nestel said. Stay tuned to Action News as we continue to follow this growing story. Copyright © 2022 WPVI-TV. All rights reserved.
