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Two Philly police officers shot multiple times; suspect identified as city employee

The officers were responding to reports of a man with a gun in West Philly just after midnight when they received "significant gunfire."

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker outside Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where the two officers were taken.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker outside Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where the two officers were taken. Read more
Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
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Two police officers shot multiple times in West Philly

Two Philadelphia police officers are in critical condition after authorities said a man ambushed them early Saturday with a shotgun outside his West Philadelphia home.

The 19th district police officers were responding about 12:20 a.m. to reports of a man with a gun in the 100 block of North 52nd Street when they received “significant gunfire,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel said at a news conference.

A 40-year-old officer was shot three times, Bethel said. A 33-year-old officer was shot 12 times. Both were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where they were in surgery. Their names have not been made public.

'This is a nice block'

Neighbor Leannett Hill didn’t hear the shooting and was stunned to see a video of her own block on the news. 

“This is a nice block, said Hill, who has lived here since 2024. “Pretty much everyone gets along on this block.”

Hill’s daughter, Camilla Vanessa Stephenson, was murdered in 2011, and the shooting made her think about the families of the police officers.

Sources ID suspect as Philly water department employee

Law enforcement sources identified the alleged gunman who shot two Philadelphia police officers early Saturday morning as Eric Lewis, an employee with the Philadelphia Water Department.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

A spokesperson for the city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A 'horrific act of violence'

During a Saturday morning news conference, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said the two Philadelphia police officers shot early Saturday morning were “badly wounded.”

“Their families right now are feeling unspeakable pain, but watching this department and those families sticking close together as a village has definitely shown me what the indomitable power of the human spirit is and can mean during times like this,” Parker said.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents West Philadelphia, called it a “horrific act of violence,” adding “our city will not accept this as normal.”