Phila. Off-Duty Officer Fires At Car After Being Struck, Man Inside Speaks Out
By Tim Jimenez, Joe Holden and Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia Police officer is recovering after he was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle while off-duty on Tuesday night.
Authorities say he fired his gun at the car, which police had been looking for until the driver turned himself in on Wednesday morning.
After the driver turned himself in, police located his green Monte Carlo with front end damage and what looks like bullet hole on the driver's side, at 6th and Cambria Streets in Fairhill.
It all started at 11:00 p.m. Tuesday night at Broad and Tioga.
Police say a 22nd district officer, who just wrapped up work for the day, was hit while on his motorcycle by the turning Monte Carlo.
Commissioner Richard Ross says the officer got up, made his way towards the car, thought he saw a gun, so he took his out.
"He discharges his service revolver, or service weapon, five times," Ross said.
No one was struck, but one stray went right through a window at the Temple outpatient center entrance.
The officer was treated at Temple University Hospital for injuries to his knees and elbows before being released. Police say the officer was tossed from his motorcycle and that the driver of the Monte Carlo attempted to leave the scene, but was unable to because the motorcycle was partially blocking the car.
Officials say the off-duty officer approached the driver's side door and identified himself as police. They say that the driver dislodged the vehicle from the motorcycle and began to drag the officer who was still at the door.
Police say that while being dragged, the officer observed the driver retrieve a weapon. Authorities say that prompted the officer to fire his weapon three times as the vehicle fled on the 1300 block of Tioga Street.
No one else was hurt and no charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
A man, inside the vehicle that was shot at, spoke with Eyewitness News about the incident on Wednesday. Eduardo Velez was in the vehicle and shared his side of the story.
"Right in the front of my car, he flew right across," Velez described. "That's when I decided, park over man. This man is dead. He hit us hard."
Velez said that he and two others were picking up a friend at Temple University Hospital when the motorcycle collided with his Monte Carlo. Velez said that what happened next was like something out of the wild west.
"He popped up out of nowhere, points the gun and shoots right inside the car," Velez said as he mimicked the motion that he says the officer took. "We got to take off," Velez explained. "I can't stop there. What, you going to kill me?"
Velez said that he returned home, not knowing the man that allegedly shot at him, was a police officer. Velez said he heard of the incident details at home, watching the news. "I told my wife, 'babe that was me. I'm going to call and tell them to pick me up so I can give my statement.'"
Velez said that he was not armed.
