April 23, 2015
Shots were fired after a man tried to rob an off-duty cop in Overbrook late Wednesday night, NBC10 reports.
Police said the off-duty officer was walking his dog near 58th Street and Malvern Avenue just after 11:30 p.m. when the suspect approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded money. The officer drew his weapon in response, firing eight times, according to authorities.
The suspect took cover behind several parked cars before fleeing the scene. He remains on the loose. It is unclear if he was hit, but investigators are checking local hospitals for gunshot victims. The officer, a five-year veteran of the 12th District, was not injured.
Officials said the gunman was being tracked by K-9 units on the ground and by a police helicopter.
The incident occurred just one mile from a similar attempted robbery that turned into a fatal shooting last month. Three teens approached and fatally shot 51-year-old James Stuhlman, who was walking his dog on March 12 in the same section of the city. Police said Stuhlman pleaded for his life before he was shot.
"You should be aware of your surroundings at all times regardless of where you are and where you go," Philadelphia Police Capt. Anthony Ginaldi told NBC10. "This is the reality of the world we live in today and these are the challenges that we as police officers face every day."
