2 police officers shot following pursuit in Northeast Philly

Two Philadelphia Police officers were hospitalized after an early Sunday shootout that happened at Frankford Avenue and Welsh Road, in the city's Holmesburg neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia.

According to police, the officers were injured in a shootout at about 2:32 a.m., after the driver of a truck they were attempting to stop at the intersection of Frankford Avenue and Welsh Road, instead rammed their vehicles before hopping out and opening fire on their cruiser.

One of the officers was struck in the ankle and head and the other suffered a bullet wound to the face, but both are expected to survive, officials said.

In talking to the press on Sunday morning, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said that one of the officers was hurt in a shooting in the past.

"They heal physically and they come back and do the job. And, this to be a second time that this officer has been involved in and incident like this, I mean being involved in something like this one time you know, plays a lot on you mentally, " he said. "But having to be involved in something like this again after returning from the first ordeal, you shouldn't have to deal with this. But, that's the oath that they swear to."

Yet again, our brave @PhillyPolice officers have come under fire in service to our city. While we are grateful that they will physically recover from their gunshot wounds, I ask that you keep our two officers, their families, and their coworkers in your prayers.

— John M. Stanford (@PPDCommish) December 10, 2023

According to police, the incident unfolded at about 2:32 a.m. when officers were called to a report of a shooting in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Officials said that, at that time, officers were alerted to be on the lookout for a man wearing a tan puffy jacket in a grey Ford pick-up truck who allegedly fired a gun.

Responding officers, police said, spotted a grey Dodge Ram pick-up truck on the 7300 block of Brous Avenue occupied by a man who matched the description of the person they were looking for and, attempted to pull him over at the intersection of Saint Vincent Street and Roosevelt Boulevard.

The truck stopped, officials said, but when an officer approached, the truck fled.

The officers spotted the vehicle again at Frankford Avenue and Welsh Road, where officials said, two police vehicles attempted to stop it but, the driver --- a 40-year-old man -- rammed one of the police cruisers before exiting the vehicle, producing a firearm and opening fire on police.

In an ensuing shootout, officials said two officers were struck by bullets.

One officer -- a 32-year-old who had been a veteran of the force for nine years -- was struck in the bridge of his nose and, according to police, the other officer, a 31-year-old, six-year veteran of the force, was struck in his ankle and a bullet grazed his head.

Four Philadelphia police officers returned fire, striking the gunman.

Police said the officers were listed in stable condition and were speaking to investigators after being taken to a nearby hospital.

The 32-year-old officer was released from the hospital and is recovering at home. The other officer remains in the hospital in stable condition.

The alleged gunman, police said, has been taken to a nearby hospital where he has been listed in critical condition.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.