Philadelphia police officer shot in the neck, fighting for his life
Fox News correspondent Madison Scarpino reports that after police conducted a traffic stop, a gunman shot three times at officers in Kensington.
A 36-year-old man was charged with attempted murder in connection with a traffic stop shooting that left a Philadelphia police officer fighting for his life, authorities said.
Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez was charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated assault, evading arrest, home invasion, kidnapping and a slew of other related charges. Vasquez is being held on $12.5 million bond.
The shooting happened around 8 p.m. Saturday in the city’s Kensington neighborhood.
The 31-year-old officer and his partner conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with four individuals inside, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel initially told reporters outside Temple University Hospital late Saturday.
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Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez, 36, is in custody and has been charged with two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, Aggravated Assault on a law enforcement officer, evading arrest, and related charges. (Philadelphia Police Department)
Police later updated reporters during a press conference on Monday that Vasquez was in the car alone, and a 37-year-old male and two 33-year-old females arrived at the scene after officers initiated the traffic stop. Authorities said they spoke Spanish to the officers and that there was no indication that the situation would escalate.
Officers determined that Vasquez did not have a driver's license and the vehicle was not registered. Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore told reporters that the car would be towed and confiscated.
The 31-year-old officer was shot in the neck around 8 p.m. Saturday during a traffic stop. (FOX29 Philadelphia WTXF)
The individuals removed items from the vehicle that was stopped after the officers inventoried each section of the vehicle. During the inventory, the officers spotted a gun holster on a floorboard, Bethel said.
After confronting the operator of the stopped vehicle, the man fled and fired three shots at the officers, Bethel said. One officer was struck in the neck, while the other officer fired at least one shot in return.
City officials asked the public to pray for the officer. (WPVI)
The wounded officer’s partner drove him to the hospital, where he remained in critical condition.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said on Saturday that the officer was "on life support. On a breathing machine. Fighting for his life."
Police were seen with an unidentified individual who appeared to be in custody. (WPVI)
"As your mayor, it is not lost on me that on today a husband, a father and a son met his partner and went to work to do a job that he's been doing for about six and a half years," Parker told reporters. "He didn't expect that he would be in a fight for his life right now."
Vazquez was taken into custody following two barricade situations, including taking a resident hostage inside his own home, according to authorities. Vasquez eventually let the man go free, and later surrendered to authorities without incident.
The three other individuals who arrived at the scene before the shooting remain part of the investigation, though authorities said they are not facing charges at this time.
Officials have yet to publicly name the wounded officer.
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