Philadelphia Police Officer Injured After Struggle With Suspected Rite Aid Shoplifter
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A Philadelphia Police officer was hurt while trying to take a robbery suspect into custody in North Philadelphia early Friday morning.
The robbery happened around 1:15 a.m. at the Rite Aid at 2100 N. Broad Street, just off Temple University's campus.
A security guard spotted a man shoplifting and approached him. Police said the man pulled out a knife on the guard, who then backed off and called police.
About 45 minutes later, an officer spotted a man on foot matching the suspect's description about a mile away at 12th and Huntingdon Streets. The officer got into a struggle with the man, losing some of his equipment in the process. Officers continued to chase the man around the block. The same officer caught up to the suspect a second time and after another violent struggle, took him into custody.
"The officer received a large laceration to his nose this time it appears that he's going to need stitches," said Chief Inspector Scott Small. "I don't know if his nose was broken he is a pretty large cut large cut on his nose and he was bleeding heavily."
From the back of a police cruiser, the suspect declared his innocence.
"Please help me out! They're trying to charge me for robbery!" the man yelled from the backseat of the patrol car.
The injured officer was taken to Hahneman Hospital for treatment. Police recovered the officer's body camera and part of a stun gun that dropped during the chase.
