Philadelphia Muslims Support Police, Express Concerns About Officer Shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than 200 angry and concerned West Philadelphia neighbors packed the Bryant School to talk about what happened one week ago, just a few blocks away from the building.
Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett was ambushed and shot several times, and authorities are confident Edward Archer pulled the trigger. Not once or twice, but more than a dozen times. Hartnett took three shots to the arm.
Authorities say Archer confessed to the shooting in the name of ISIS and Islam.
"I've been in this city as a Muslim for forty years and it does not reflect the characteristics of the Muslims here," Askia Matchett said.
Matchett was just one of dozens of proud Muslims who came out to show support for Philadelphia police officers.
"Islam itself is peaceful. It's the certain people within Islam that can make it hard for others," Salih Muhammad told Eyewitness News.
The FBI is the lead on the case and director James Comey spent time with Officer Hartnett before briefing local authorities.
"We at the FBI level, through our Joint Terrorism Task Force, are investigating that attack as a terrorist attack," Comey told Eyewitness News.
Comey skipped specifics and said he doesn't believe Archer is part of a larger cell. He's still cautious about the case. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, on the job just over a week, spent time with Officer Hartnett in the morning.
"Every day he's getting a little better but he has a lot of recovery ahead of him," Ross said at a Thursday news conference.
According to FBI officials, Archer traveled to Egypt and Saudi Arabia within the last five years, something authorities and neighbors want to learn more about.
"It doesn't represent us. This guy does not at all represent us," Matchett said.
Edward Archer has a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 25, but that could be pushed back.
The FBI and local authorities continue to investigate.
