Philadelphia Police showed off a cache of weapons Friday recovered from a Kensington shootout that left an officer hospitalized with a gunshot wound.
Eight guns including loaded handguns and several assault rifles were found along the 3000 block of N. Water Street Thursday night.
It was around 8:30 p.m. when at least two men jumped out of a white van and began firing on Officer Kevin Livewell and his unidentified partner, police say.
Ofc. Livewell, 30, was hit once in the leg. His partner was not hurt and actually chased down the van's driver as the suspects tried to flee, according to authorities. Two other men are still on the loose.
Livewell, a 9-year vet, and his partner stopped the van after realizing it matched the description of one possibly used in a shooting earlier in the day.
Top brass say they're surprised and grateful with the outcome of Thursday night's shooting after taking into account the type of weapons used.
"No body armor that we have saved our officers from these weapons," Dep. Comm. Richard Ross said Friday. "In fact, many of them are capable of slicing through a vehicle."
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Officials said the attack was similar to the shooting that killed Officer Stephen Lizbinski in May 2008.
The suspects threw away the guns as they fled on foot, police say. Investigators say they don't have a lot of information to go on in the case, but are asking for those who may have witnessed the crime to contact them.
"These are bad guys, these are very, very bad people," said Police Comm. Charles Ramsey. "And to have this kind of armament is an indication that they were going to do harm to someone."
The Fraternal Order of Police is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of each individual involved with the shooting of Ofc. Livewell.
Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous tipline at 215.686.TIPS.
Ofc. Livewell is said to be doing well and should be released from the hospital after the weekend.
