Police ID officer who fatally shot 75-year-old man accused of firing a gun in West Philadelphia
Police said Officer Laura Pelczar fatally shot Anthony McKinley, who allegedly had pointed a gun at police and fired a shot.
The Philadelphia Police Department on Friday identified the 26-year-old officer who fatally shot a 75-year-old man accused of pointing a handgun at police and then firing it earlier this week in West Philadelphia.
Officer Laura Pelczar and a second officer responded to a 911 call shortly before 7:15 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a person armed with a weapon and a possible family hostage situation on the 5400 block of Webster Street, police said.
Police said the two 18th District officers observed Anthony McKinley holding a Taurus handgun on the front porch of his house.
As the officers approached the porch, police said, McKinley raised the gun and pointed it in their direction.
The officers took cover and ordered McKinley to drop the gun, but instead he fired a single shot, according to police.
Pelczar then shot McKinley once, police said.
“Body-worn cameras were activated and captured portions of the encounter,” police said.
Police transported McKinley to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:33 a.m. Tuesday.
An initial investigation showed the 911 call originated from a phone registered to McKinley, police said.
As of Friday, police had not provided an update on the details of the deadly encounter, including whether anyone was actually being held hostage at the home.
Neither officer was injured.
Neighbors described McKinley, who had lived on the block for decades, as polite and helpful.
Tuesday’s killing marked the third shooting of a civilian by a Philadelphia police officer this year, according to police data.