Off-duty sheriff’s officer shot a teen in Southwest Philly, police say
The officer alleges the 17-year-old was breaking into his private vehicle. The teen is in custody.
An off-duty sheriff’s officer shot a 17-year-old in Southwest Philadelphia early Tuesday morning.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters the off-duty officer saw the teenager, who has not been identified, breaking into his private vehicle around 3:32 a.m. on the 7300 block of Bunting Place.
“For reasons unknown at this time,” the officer, and a member of the officer’s family, fired their guns at the teen inside the car, Small told reporters.
Four shots total were fired, according to Small, before the teen fled the scene.
Around 20 minutes later, a teenager was transported by a private vehicle to Presbyterian Medical Center, where the officer involved in the shooting identified the wounded teen. Small noted that the teen was in possession of commonly-used car theft tools, like a screwdriver, extra key fob, and other items.
Small told reporters at the scene that investigators found four spent shell casings and newly broken locks on the car’s doors.
The teenager is in custody with charges pending.
The off-duty sheriff’s officer and their family member are uninjured and cooperating with the investigation. The family member involved in the incident had a license to carry the firearm used in the shooting, Small said.