Philadelphia city officials said a police officer who was shot in the neck during a traffic stop Saturday evening is “in fear for his life.”
The 31-year-old officer, who is also a husband and father, remains on life support at Temple University Hospital, Mayor Sherrell Parker told reporters outside the hospital.
“As mayor, it’s not lost on me that today a husband, a father and a son met his partner and took the job he’s had for almost six and a half years,” Parker said. “He never expected he’d now be putting himself in the fight for his life.”
Philadelphia Police Chief Kevin Bethel said his officers and partners conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the Kensington neighborhood around 8 p.m. There were four people in the car, and the officer found the holster while searching the vehicle.
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The suspect and everyone else in the vehicle were taken into custody. (WPVI)
One of the men fled and fired three shots at officers, Bethel said, hitting one officer in the neck and causing the other officer to return fire. It was unclear whether the suspect was hit by the bullets.
A Philadelphia police officer remains on life support after being shot in the neck during a traffic stop in Kensington on Saturday evening. (WPVI)
The injured officer’s partner transported him to hospital, where he remains in critical condition in the surgical intensive care unit.
Parker posted on social media that the officer was “on a ventilator and in danger of losing his life.”
Authorities said the injured officer is a husband and father and has been with the police department for more than six years. (WPVI)
Police launched a manhunt for the suspect, who was eventually taken into custody after two barricade incidents. Everyone else who was in the vehicle at the time of the shooting was also taken into custody, police said.
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The injured officer was a veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department with more than six years of experience.
City officials asked residents to pray for the officers. (WPVI)
Bethel asks Philadelphia residents to pray for police officers.
“I ask people across the city of Philadelphia to pray for our officers and for the men and women here today who went out there knowing they would give their lives in this line of duty,” the police commissioner said.
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No further information was immediately provided.
Fox News’ Madison Scarpino contributed to this report.
