Officer Davies Remains In Critical Condition; New Details In Investigation
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The man accused of shooting Philadelphia police officer Edward Davies is out of the hospital and behind bars Wednesday night.
Confined to a wheelchair, the suspect, 31-year-old Eric Torres, accused of shooting and critically wounding officer Edward Davies was taken from Einstein Medical Center as heavily armed SWAT officers kept a close watch.
Torres, who records show has a history of a dozen arrests, including five for attacks on police officers, brought into police headquarters to be charged in the officer's shooting and, sources say, to be questioned about murdering a Fairhill man gunned down on the street as he walked to work June 18th.
"He is a bad individual, no question about it. He is going to be charged with a variety of instances, including attempted murder," said Commissioner Charles Ramsey of Philadelphia Police.
Police say Torres shot the six-year veteran and father of four, inside a neighborhood store, where he tried to hide after jumping from his vehicle in which he raced away from a police car stop. Officer Davies shot point blank below his bullet proof vest remains in critical condition at Temple University Hospital. A female officer who raced him there in her patrol car is now credited by the police commissioner with helping save his life.
"She's a hero. She saved his life. Because doctors told me yesterday had he not gotten to the hospital at the time he did, it probably would have been too late from the loss of blood," said Ramsey.
Sources say a search of Torres' home, hours after the officer's shooting, found in addition to thousands of dollars of heroin packets, a 9mm semi automatic similar to one used June 18th to gun down Luis Acevedo as he walked to work on North Lawrence Street. Those sources say a car seen leaving the murder scene that June morning is the same make and color as one driven by Torres at the time.
Torres has not been charged in the June murder.
