Philadelphia Police Fired At More Suspects, Last Year, Than In The Previous Two Years; Officials Blame Armed Suspects
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police figures show a marked increase in the number of officer-involved shootings, but police officials deny there's a trend and blame the increase on more heavily armed suspects.
Philadelphia police officers shot 52 people last year, according to department figures.
That's up from 35 in 2011 and 43 in 2010.
When asked recently if there had been an increase, Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross indicated there was not.
Ross says, "our statistics don't bear that out."
Deputy Mayor Rich Negrin suggested, in that conversation, that officers are facing escalating fire power from suspects during chases and arrests.
Negrin says, "individuals with 9 mm with 30 rounds in a clip that often outgun our police officers. Our police officers are struggling not to be outgunned in the city of Philadelphia."
The department reports 3 suspects fired at police, last year.
That's down from 12 in 2010.
