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PHILADELPHIA - An officer shot an armed man during a traffic stop near the intersection of Eastwick Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard in Southwest Philadelphia just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to police. Police say the man was taken to the hospital for surgery following the encounter.
Routine traffic stop turns violent near Eastwick Avenue
What we know:
Police say two officers in full uniform and a marked patrol car pulled over an adult man driving a white Chevy Malibu. Officers say the man was acting "very erratic" during the stop.
When officers asked the man to get out of the vehicle, police say a physical altercation began. Police say the officers tried multiple times to use a Taser on the man, but it did not have an effect.
Timeline:
According to police, at some point during the fight, the man was able to get to his vehicle and pull out a firearm with an extended magazine. Police say one of the officers then fired his weapon, hitting the man. Police say the man was taken to the hospital for surgery, and neither officer was injured.
Witness accounts detail chaos and gunfire
What they're saying:
John McGonigal, who witnessed the events, said, "I saw what seemed to be an altercation and the shots were fired. I saw what seemed to be somebody trying to get away, and then I saw the sparks from the gun."
Theresa Mongeluzo, who lives nearby, said, "I heard pop pop pop pop four times…I thought it was a car backfiring but then in the back of my mind I knew it was gunshots and there was a space in between it wasn’t like four consecutive shots, I think they were spaced."
The other side:
Mongeluzo also reflected on the broader situation, saying, "You can’t go around shooting police officers. Recently, we had one that died and one who was shot twelve times…It’s a great day for law enforcement to be able to defuse the situation despite how they had to do it, the old saying you play with fire you are going to get burnt, it’s a shame for the suspect, it’s a shame for his family."
What we don't know:
The source does not identify the man or state his current condition, what prompted the stop, or whether any charges will be filed.
The Source: This article contains information from the Philadelphia Police Department and interviews conducted by witnesses John McGonigal and Theresa Mongeluzo.