A day after saying his department is investigating the ambush shooting of a Philadelphia police officer as a terrorist attack, the director of the FBI paid a visit to the wounded officer at the hospital.
James Comey, along with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, stopped by Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Thursday to visit Officer Jesse Hartnett.
Police say Edward Archer, 30, told them he was acting "in the name of Islam" when he opened fire on Officer Hartnett's marked cruiser Jan. 7 at a Philadelphia intersection.
Archer pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and used a stolen police handgun, authorities said.
Hartnett suffered serious injuries to his arm that will require multiple surgeries.
Friends tell NBC10 that Hartnett is “doing good” and is slowly walking around the hospital. He is getting normal foods into his system. The friends told NBC10 Hartnett has his third surgery scheduled for Friday.
Ross said Hartnett’s arm was “virtually destroyed” during the shooting. The friends told NBC10 it appears as if his arm is going to be saved, but it’s too early to know how much movement he will have.
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"This guy tried to execute the officer," Ross said after the shooting. "I don't know how this officer survived."
In addition to Comey and Ross, Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey visited Hartnett at the hospital Thursday. On Facebook, Toomey said he was bringing two patches and two challenge coins from the United States Capitol Police and from the security detail of the Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
Hartnett was an avid collector of police patches and a collection is underway to surround him with those patches during his recovery time at the hospital.
Philadelphia Police are still leading the investigation, with assistance from the FBI. Investigators have said that so far, there's no indication Archer was consuming jihadist propaganda, and that trips he took to Egypt and Saudi Arabia have not been linked with terrorist activity.
Archer was charged with attempted murder but hasn't entered a plea. He also faces three other felonies and four misdemeanor charges. His mother said he had been hearing voices and felt targeted by police.
An investigation continues into whether Archer had terror connections.
