January 10, 2016
Source/Philadelphia Police
A still photo taken from surveillance camera shows Edward Archer, 30, of Yeadon, firing at Philadelphia Police car driven by officer Jesse Hartnett.
Days after the Jan. 7 ambush shooting of Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett, local authorities and the FBI have reportedly received an anonymous tip warning that that "the threat to police is not over" and that the shooter is part of a radical cell including three other potential assailants.
Law enforcement officials confirmed Sunday that they received the anonymous tip from a citizen on Saturday. The Philadelphia Police Department posted the following statement on Facebook:
Last night a Philadelphia Police Officer was stopped by a citizen on the street who proceeded to make statements regarding the defendant involved in the shooting ambush on Officer Hartnett, which occurred on January 7, 2016. The citizen alleged the defendant had an affiliation to a group with radical beliefs.
The Philadelphia Police Department and Federal Partners take this type of information very seriously, particularly after the recent attack on Officer Hartnett. Therefore, the department along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is actively investigating these allegations in an effort to verify the credibility of the information given.
The Philadelphia Police Department has alerted all department personnel of this matter and will continue to have officers work with a partner until further notice.
As always, we encourage any information or tips from members of the community regarding this matter.
Edward Archer, the 30-year-old Yeadon man accused of shooting Officer Hartnett three times in the arm, claimed after the attack that he acted "in the name of Islam" and pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Archer has been charged with attempted murder, but investigators say they have yet to establish a definitive link with ISIS, including Archer's recent travel to Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The citizen who provided the tip to police warned officers to "be careful," adding that Archer was not the most radical among the four associates, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The tipster also said that the three other men who form the group still frequently spend time around the 6100 block of Pine Street, not far from where Officer Hartnett was ambushed in his patrol car at 60th and Spruce streets in West Philadelphia.
Hartnett, 33, continues to recover from his injuries at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where doctors say they are attempting to repair nerve damage. On Saturday night, an officer visiting Hartnett at PPMC was assaulted by a man inside the hospital's emergency room entrance. Police said the attack was in no way connected to Hartnett's shooting and the suspect was taken into custody.
The Philadelphia Police Counterterrorism Unit is actively investigating the latest threat with assistance from the FBI. Law enforcement officials plan to conduct a follow-up interview with the anonymous source who provided the tip.
