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| Philadelphia Police Officer Is Killed in a Shooting While Trying to Arrest a Suspect | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A Philadelphia police officer was shot and killed early Friday morning trying to arrest a murder suspect in the Frankford section of the city, and two people were injured in the shooting, the police said. | A Philadelphia police officer was shot and killed early Friday morning trying to arrest a murder suspect in the Frankford section of the city, and two people were injured in the shooting, the police said. |
| Cpl. James O’Connor, a member of the department’s SWAT team, was shot near his left shoulder as he and members of the SWAT and homicide team tried to enter a second-floor room of a building just before 6 a.m., said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. | Cpl. James O’Connor, a member of the department’s SWAT team, was shot near his left shoulder as he and members of the SWAT and homicide team tried to enter a second-floor room of a building just before 6 a.m., said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. |
| Gunfire burst through a closed door on the officers, Commissioner Outlaw told reporters Friday outside Temple University Hospital, where Corporal O’Connor was pronounced dead at 6:09 a.m. | Gunfire burst through a closed door on the officers, Commissioner Outlaw told reporters Friday outside Temple University Hospital, where Corporal O’Connor was pronounced dead at 6:09 a.m. |
| “These officers didn’t get a chance,” she said. “The gunfire happened immediately as soon as they walked through the door.” | “These officers didn’t get a chance,” she said. “The gunfire happened immediately as soon as they walked through the door.” |
| Another SWAT officer returned fire through the door, striking two male suspects “in the lower extremities,” Commissioner Outlaw said. Those men were brought to Einstein and Jefferson Hospitals in stable condition. The person sought on the arrest warrant, who was accused of a 2019 murder, was not shot and is in police custody, Commissioner Outlaw said. She did not name the suspect or anyone else involved in the shooting. | Another SWAT officer returned fire through the door, striking two male suspects “in the lower extremities,” Commissioner Outlaw said. Those men were brought to Einstein and Jefferson Hospitals in stable condition. The person sought on the arrest warrant, who was accused of a 2019 murder, was not shot and is in police custody, Commissioner Outlaw said. She did not name the suspect or anyone else involved in the shooting. |
| As word of the shooting spread, swarms of police officers rushed to Temple University Hospital. Many of the officers were in tears as they stood outside in the rain, hugging and comforting one another. | As word of the shooting spread, swarms of police officers rushed to Temple University Hospital. Many of the officers were in tears as they stood outside in the rain, hugging and comforting one another. |
| The mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, also arrived and spoke to reporters, his voice breaking as he called on the public to pray for Corporal O’Connor’s family. | The mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, also arrived and spoke to reporters, his voice breaking as he called on the public to pray for Corporal O’Connor’s family. |
| “It’s a tough job and they do the best for us every day,” he said. “This is a bad day.” | “It’s a tough job and they do the best for us every day,” he said. “This is a bad day.” |
| He added in a statement that Corporal O’Connor had “demonstrated the ultimate form of heroism: putting out his uniform, leaving his family and carrying out his sworn duty to protect the residents of this city.” | He added in a statement that Corporal O’Connor had “demonstrated the ultimate form of heroism: putting out his uniform, leaving his family and carrying out his sworn duty to protect the residents of this city.” |
| Philadelphia’s district attorney, Larry Krasner, also tried to get inside the hospital, but dozens of officers appeared to block the entrance, and he eventually departed. | Philadelphia’s district attorney, Larry Krasner, also tried to get inside the hospital, but dozens of officers appeared to block the entrance, and he eventually departed. |
| It was an extraordinary show of hostility and defiance against Mr. Krasner, a former defense attorney who committed to charging fewer defendants with crimes and had a long history of suing the police for alleged misconduct before his election in 2017. | It was an extraordinary show of hostility and defiance against Mr. Krasner, a former defense attorney who committed to charging fewer defendants with crimes and had a long history of suing the police for alleged misconduct before his election in 2017. |
| The tensions between Mr. Krasner, the police and other law enforcement officials have surfaced before. After six Philadelphia officers were shot following a standoff with a gunman in August 2019, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain sharply criticized Mr. Krasner. | The tensions between Mr. Krasner, the police and other law enforcement officials have surfaced before. After six Philadelphia officers were shot following a standoff with a gunman in August 2019, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain sharply criticized Mr. Krasner. |
| “There is a new culture of disrespect for law enforcement in this city that is promoted and championed by District Attorney Larry Krasner — and I am fed up with it,” Mr. McSwain said in a statement at the time. | “There is a new culture of disrespect for law enforcement in this city that is promoted and championed by District Attorney Larry Krasner — and I am fed up with it,” Mr. McSwain said in a statement at the time. |
| On Friday, Mr. Krasner said he had come to the hospital to show his respect for the officer and his family, and “to show how much we care about our law enforcement officers.” | On Friday, Mr. Krasner said he had come to the hospital to show his respect for the officer and his family, and “to show how much we care about our law enforcement officers.” |
| “We’ve had a pretty serious incident,” he said in brief remarks to reporters. “There is of course an ongoing investigation.” | “We’ve had a pretty serious incident,” he said in brief remarks to reporters. “There is of course an ongoing investigation.” |
| Corporal O’Connor, a 23-year veteran of the department, was the father of two. His son is an officer in the Police Department and his daughter is in the Air Force, said Commissioner Outlaw. | Corporal O’Connor, a 23-year veteran of the department, was the father of two. His son is an officer in the Police Department and his daughter is in the Air Force, said Commissioner Outlaw. |
| “These people are led to serve,” she said. “We’re never prepared for the loss of a loved one. We certainly know when we put this uniform on that it could be the last time that we see our loved ones. It takes a special person to do this job and that’s who this corporal was.” | “These people are led to serve,” she said. “We’re never prepared for the loss of a loved one. We certainly know when we put this uniform on that it could be the last time that we see our loved ones. It takes a special person to do this job and that’s who this corporal was.” |
| The last time an officer was killed in the city was March 2015, when Sergeant Robert Wilson III was shot at close range during an attempted robbery at a North Philadelphia GameStop. Sergeant Wilson had gone to the store to buy a gift for his son. | The last time an officer was killed in the city was March 2015, when Sergeant Robert Wilson III was shot at close range during an attempted robbery at a North Philadelphia GameStop. Sergeant Wilson had gone to the store to buy a gift for his son. |
| The shooting Friday took place a week after the police honored Sergeant Wilson in a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of his death. | The shooting Friday took place a week after the police honored Sergeant Wilson in a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of his death. |