Philadelphia Police: Officer, Suspect Injured In Gun Battle Outside SEPTA Bus In Wissinoming
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia police officer and a suspect were wounded in a gun battle outside of a SEPTA bus in the Wissinoming section of the city, authorities say. About a dozen people were on the bus when the shooting happened 10 a.m. Thursday at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street.
The suspect was struck multiple times and is in critical condition at Temple University Hospital. Officer Donald Revill, 37, was shot in the forearm and was taken to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital in stable condition. He has since been released.
"Officer Revill is talking. He seems to be doing very, very well. It's just an example of how something that sometimes seems routine could turn into something tragic very quickly," Acting Philadelphia Police Commissioner Christine Coulter said.
Police in a news conference said police were initially called to the scene for reports of a man with a gun. An officer who arrived at the location saw the armed suspect board the SEPTA Route 56 bus.
When another team of officers arrived at the intersection, they blocked the bus and confronted the suspect onboard.
Police say the suspect then pulled a gun, causing the two officers to retreat from the bus. The suspect followed and fired at the officers outside of the bus.
Police say the officers fired back and struck the suspect multiple times. Revill, a third officer who arrived at the scene, got in a struggle with the suspect and was shot in the forearm.
Security video shows what appears to be the gunman getting off the bus and two officers chasing him.
Tylor Bencito, 19, was on the bus when the shooting happened.
"They proceeded to draw out their weapons and started firing at the officers. The suspect got shot and got slammed to the ground and they proceeded to be put in the back of the cop car. Everything was situated, everybody is getting processed at this moment right now and they told us everything is going to be fine and everything is OK. I'm not going to lie, I feared for my life but it was just a stressful moment," Bencito said.
The suspect's name has not been released.
CSB3's Matt Petrillo contributed to this report.
