Two police officers in Philadelphia are undergoing treatment in a hospital after being shot on Saturday morning while responding to an incident in the western part of the city. The officers faced gunfire shortly after arriving at the scene, according to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
One officer, aged 40 and a father of two children, was hit three times. The other, a 33-year-old parent of five, was shot 12 times. Both were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center for surgery, although their current conditions have not been disclosed.
At a press conference, Commissioner Bethel remarked on the bravery of the officers, saying, “I am so damn proud of the men and women who serve in this department. Consistently, they go into danger, and they give their lives for this job.” He requested prayers and support for the officers and the police department.
The incident began just after midnight, when the officers were called to 140 North 52nd Street following a report of a man armed with a gun on a porch. Upon arrival, they were met with heavy gunfire.
Additional police units and a SWAT team were dispatched and located the wounded officers on the porch. A suspect, who reportedly fired at the officers and ambushed them from an alley, was later captured by SWAT in a tree. The suspect was found with two handguns and a shotgun, one of which belonged to a wounded officer.
The Philadelphia Police Department has not provided further comments. The name of the suspect is yet to be released.