Police: Homeowner Who Shot Officer In Face While Serving Warrant Thought Home Was Being Broken Into
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia officer has been severely injured and another man is dead after police went to serve a warrant in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on Monday morning.
SWAT Officer Jaison Potts was shot in the face around 6 a.m. on the 4800 block of Knox Street while serving the warrant. He was supposed to begin his vacation later Monday.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross says that it appears that the homeowner thought someone was breaking into his home and did not know it was police officers at his door.
"This is just a tragedy. We aren't dealing with a bunch of criminals firing on police," said Ross.
The homeowner has been identified as 59-year-old Riccardo Giddings, according to his stepdaughter, Laquisha Johnson.
"My dad heard and told my mom to run. Somebody is breaking in," said Johnson.
Johnson says her stepfather didn't hear the command from SWAT and thought they were robbing him.
Ross says they were at the residence to arrest the couple's 20-year-old grandson who was wanted on weapons violations. He has since turned himself in.
Ross says police announced themselves three times, but the couple apparently did not hear them.
Potts was shot moments after entering the home and police say the officer's partner shot the homeowner, who later died at Einstein Hospital. The man's wife was also injured after a bullet ricocheted and struck her. Ross says the woman is the mother-in-law of a Philadelphia police officer. The woman has been identified as 59-year-old Joanne Johnson.
Laquisha says she spoke to her mother in the hospital.
"She said that somebody was breaking into our house. I ran. I tried to get away. She was yelling 'call the cops' and that's when she was shot," said Johnson.
"It's an absolute tragedy all the way around," said Ross.
The Philadelphia Police Department's command staff has been huddling outside Temple University Hospital's emergency room as they've been monitoring word on the condition of the SWAT officer.
Ross said the 49-year-old Potts, a 20-year veteran of the force, suffered a suffered a broken jaw and may have artery damage along with other injuries.
"We know that he sustained some very serious injuries. He's in critical condition right now. We know that, at minimum, he's got a broken jaw. We also know that, right now, doctors are taking him into specialists to see if some of his arteries have been damaged," said Ross.
Potts is married with three children.
Germantown neighbors describe the homeowner as a man in his late 50s, and say what happened was "out of character" for him.
Mayor Jim Kenney came to Temple Hospital to pass along his well wishes to Potts' family.
"I want to thank our officers for putting themselves out there on the line everyday and our prayers are with them," said Kenney.
Investigators say a woman in her 60s was also struck in the gunfire exchange. She is listed in critical, but stable, condition.
CBS3 has learned that Potts is deeply sedated and has a long road ahead of him, but officials are cautiously optimistic he will survive his injuries.
Johnson says she's trying to be there for her mom during their very difficult time.
"I'm in shock. I'm trying to be calm because my mom's health is important. She just lost her husband so I'm trying to just, were working with them to get some answers and we're not getting that," she said.
