Philadelphia police officer has died after medical emergency

A Philadelphia police officer died Friday night after experiencing an apparent medical emergency in South Philadelphia, police said.

Shortly before 9 p.m., witnesses reported that a female police officer appeared unresponsive on the 1800 block of South Christopher Columbus Boulevard in the parking lot of the T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods stores, where she was working an overtime assignment, said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.

After medics arrived, CPR was performed on the officer and medics transported her to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, said a visibly shaken Outlaw at a news conference outside the hospital around 11 p.m.

“At this time, we don’t know any additional information as to what happened or why,” the commissioner said.

Outlaw said the officer, who had been on the force for at least 24 years, was assigned to the Third District in South Philadelphia and married to another Philadelphia police officer.

The fallen officer was not named.

“As you can see behind me, there are a lot of officers here that are not only here in support, but they’re here grieving,” Outlaw said.

Outlaw said she had spoken to the officer’s husband and met with other family members.

The commissioner said she had heard “nothing but amazing things about [the officer’s] dedication and her commitment to the Police Department.”

Medic 43, the Philadelphia Fire Department ambulance that transported the officer to the hospital, then took her body to the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The medic unit was escorted closely by Highway Patrol motorcycles and followed by a long procession of police vehicles with lights and sirens activated.

Police officers stood at attention along the route and saluted as the medic unit passed.