Police identify officers involved in shootings
Philadelphia police released the names Saturday night of two officers involved in separate shootings earlier in the week. Officer Edward Wright, an eight-year member of the force, shot Desmond Abernathy, 50, around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in Southwest Philadelphia after Abernathy fired at police, they said.
Philadelphia police released the names Saturday night of two officers involved in separate shootings earlier in the week.
Officer Edward Wright, an eight-year member of the force, shot Desmond Abernathy, 50, around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in Southwest Philadelphia after Abernathy fired at police, they said.
Wright and another officer were on patrol when they heard gunshots in an alley between the 5300 blocks of Lindbergh Boulevard and Grays Avenue. They saw Abernathy on the rear deck of a house holding a gun, police said.
Abernathy ignored officers' orders to drop the weapon, firing it once instead, police said. Wright returned fire, hitting Abernathy in the right thigh, police said. Abernathy was apprehended inside the house and charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and related charges.
In the other shooting, police said, Officer Shannon Coolbaugh, a seven-year member of the force, shot and killed Richard Ferretti just before 1 a.m. Wednesday in Overbrook as Ferretti drove toward him.
Coolbaugh was on duty in plain clothes when he responded to a call of suspicious behavior by a driver of a Dodge Caravan on the 6300 block of Overbrook Avenue, police said.
Ferretti, 52, of Andreas, Pa., circled the block several times before police surrounded his minivan with a patrol vehicle and an unmarked car.
Instead of heeding orders to turn off his vehicle, Ferretti drove it toward Coolbaugh, police said. Coolbaugh fired, hitting Ferretti in the chest.
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