Man fatally shot by police outside St. Christopher’s Hospital after relative reports suicide risk

PHILADELPHIA - A police-involved shooting happened Thursday, July 2, at a bus stop on Erie Avenue in front of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, according to a statement from the hospital. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Thursday there was no threat to Saint Christopher Hospital or its staff after a man was shot and killed by police outside the hospital Wednesday, July 1. Bethel provided updates on the case and addressed community concerns about safety at the hospital.

What we know:

The hospital says the police-involved shooting happened Thursday morning at a bus stop on Erie Avenue in front of the building. 

Bethel said the man who was shot had been at the hospital the day before and was asked to leave after an incident. He returned Wednesday but was not allowed inside, and security staff said he was compliant and did not threaten anyone.

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children says its Public Safety Team started safety protocols right away, including a temporary lockdown of the hospital. The lockdown has been lifted, and the hospital says all patients and staff are safe.

A relative called police, saying the man was suicidal and had access to weapons. Officers responded quickly and found the man outside the hospital. As officers approached, Bethel said, "the individual, unfortunately, starts to pull out his weapon and the officer discharges." Police say the man did not fire his weapon, and his girlfriend was grazed during the shooting but is in good condition.

Bethel explained that the officer who fired the shot is on leave while the investigation continues. 

The hospital says the person involved in the shooting never entered the building. All entranceways are open, and the hospital continues to welcome patients for their appointments.

He added that officers involved in shootings are removed from street duty until they are cleared to return. 

Patients and families were notified that all entrances are open, and the hospital is operating normally.

Dig deeper:

Police are also investigating whether the man's personal situation, including a child in the hospital, contributed to his mental state. 

"We do not know at this point if what's happening with his child in the hospital caused them to get into the state," said Bethel. "But it was important that I brought you back to clarify, one, that there is no direct threats to Saint Christopher Hospital." 

Bethel said many officers are trained to respond to mental health crises, but situations involving suicidal individuals with weapons are especially dangerous.

"Unfortunately, in these cases, even if we have a crisis response team there, you know, an individual with a gun, in particularly someone who's in a suicidal is one of the most dangerous individuals an officer can encounter," said Bethel. 

He acknowledged the tragedy of the situation and said the department will review the response to see if anything could have been done differently. 

Bethel said, "We have a duty as an organization to make sure we get these right." 

Police have notified the man's family, and Bethel said both the family and the department are upset by the outcome. 

The hospital is referring all questions about the shooting to the Philadelphia Police Department, as it is an active law enforcement matter.

What we don't know:

Police have not released the names of those involved or details about the man's relationship to anyone at the hospital. 

It is also unclear what specifically led to the man's mental health crisis or if his child's condition played a role.

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