Police identified the man fatally shot by SWAT officers during a standoff in Northeast Philadelphia
Lawrence Packard, 73, of Jenkintown was killed by two SWAT Officers after allegedly shooting at police outside Gary Barbera's car dealership on Wednesday, police said.
Philadelphia Police on Friday identified the man who was fatally shot by SWAT officers during a standoff near Roosevelt Boulevard earlier this week as 73-year-old Lawrence Packard of Jenkintown.
Authorities also provided new details about the confrontation with Packard, including the identities of the two officers involved in the shooting: Lt. William Schmid, 42, a 21-year veteran of the force; and Officer Patrick Saba, 38, a 17-year veteran. Both were assigned to the SWAT unit, police said.
Still, a number of questions remained unanswered, including why Packard, in the early hours of Wednesday, had apparently driven his truck toward Gary Barbera’s car dealership on the Boulevard and Borbeck Avenue, parked on a sidewalk nearby, and then allegedly shot at two different sets of officers who approached his vehicle — first a patrol officer, then the SWAT team.
A relative of Packard’s said by phone Friday that her family did not want to comment.
Barbera said there was no indication that Packard had bought his car from the dealership or been in any kind of ongoing dispute with anyone there.
And Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said investigators “haven’t really found a true motive” for Packard’s actions.
Police gave this account:
The incident began just before 5 a.m., when a patrol officer responded to the 7800 block of East Roosevelt Boulevard looking for a reported car crash. Instead, the officer — whom police did not identify — noticed a truck parked on nearby Borbeck Avenue with its horn steadily blowing.
The officer approached the truck and spoke with Packard, but, after deciding Packard didn’t need assistance, drove away. The officer then heard gunshots coming from behind his patrol car.
His car wasn’t struck, but he drove back and noticed Packard seated in his truck with a gun in his hand. The officer called for backup.
SWAT officers arrived and declared the scene a barricade. “During the barricade incident, Packard fired in the direction of officers while still seated in the truck,” police said.
Authorities said Packard shot at Schmid and Saba, who returned fire, fatally wounding him. Packard was declared dead at the scene around 6 a.m.
A revolver was later recovered inside Packard’s truck, and the vehicle had at least seven bullet holes in the front windshield.
The patrol officer’s bodycam was on during the episode, but police said it “did not capture the shooting itself.”
Schmid and Saba will be placed on desk duty as police continue their investigation.