Police ID officer who wounded suspect during shootout at Ramadan event in West Philadelphia
Two groups of young people started shooting at one another at Clara Muhammad Square during an Eid al-Fitr celebration last week.
Police on Monday identified the officer who shot an allegedly armed 15-year-old after gunfire erupted at Clara Muhammad Square during an Eid al-Fitr celebration last week in West Philadelphia.
Two groups of young people started shooting at one another around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Two people were shot in the cross fire — a 22-year-old man shot in the stomach and a 15-year-old boy in the hand — while the other 15-year-old was shot by Officer Diamond Jaynes.
Jaynes, 32, was described as a six-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department assigned to the 16th Police District. She has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs and Officer-Involved Shooting Investigations.
The Police Department said Jaynes body worn camera “does not depict” the officer shooting the teen. The department did not elaborate on whether that meant the camera video did not show the teen getting shot, or if the camera was not turned on or otherwise malfunctioned.
Police said they recovered four spent shell casings from the scene that were consistent with police department ammunition.
About 1,000 people had gathered for the festival at Clara Muhammad Square to dine together and celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast, hosted by the nearby Philadelphia Masjid, when more than 30 shots were fired.
Police last week said the 15-year-old shot by Jaynes was carrying a gun. The teen was shot in the shoulder and leg by the officer. Police on Monday said a “black AR-style pistol” was recovered by Officer Jaynes near the teen. Jaynes transported him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was reported in stable condition.
Two of the five firearms recovered from the scene appear to have been so-called ghost guns.
One firearm was described on Monday as a Polymer80 handgun with an extended magazine containing 15 live rounds. The gun, which had no serial numbers, was believed to have been carried by a 16-year-old who was taken into custody.
Last week, the city announced it had settled a lawsuit against Polymer80 Inc., based in Nevada, and a second manufacturer of “ghost gun” parts. The manufacturers agreed to a permanent ban on selling those parts in Philadelphia and a four-year ban on sales in nearby Pennsylvania counties.
The second gun recovered was described as a privately manufactured handgun with an extended magazine containing 11 rounds. The gun had no serial numbers and was believed to have been carried by another 16-year-old who also was taken into custody.
Five people, including the teen shot by Jaynes, were initially charged with reckless endangerment and firearms violations.
Police were continuing to work on determining which of the alleged assailants wounded the two other shooting victims.