June 05, 2015
One suspect is dead and another is being sought by police after an attempted robbery of an off-duty plain-clothed Philadelphia detective at a Lawndale pizza parlor, police said.
According to police, two men entered Rising Sun Pizza late Thursday night and announced a robbery. One of the men placed a revolver at the head of the lone customer, an unidentified Philadelphia detective, and ordered him to the floor.
Police said the robbers stole $20 from the detective before turning their attention toward the restaurant’s two employees.
“That’s when the detective drew his firearm and identified himself as a police officer,” police officials said. One of the suspects then fired his weapon -- which turned out to be loaded only with blanks -- at the detective who shot back.
The detective was not injured but the suspected shooter was hit multiple times and later died.
Police said video recovered from the scene shows muzzle flashes from the now-deceased suspect’s firearm.
None of the employees at the store were injured during the gun battle and the department's Internal Affairs division is part of the ongoing investigation.
The detective has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the department's investigation. The district attorney's office will also review the facts of the case.
The dead suspect was described as a 33-year-old man. Police said both suspects were wearing dark hooded sweatshirts, dark pants and masks.
Check back later for more on this developing story.
