A man died after being shot by police while an officer is recovering after being shot in the hand during a struggle inside a home in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, officials said.
The ordeal began shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday when 24th District police officers responded to a report of gunshots along the 2800 block of Ruth Street. When the officers arrived they found shell casings on the ground in front of a property and heard a commotion coming from inside the home.
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As the officers entered the home, they were met by a group of people who were leaving the property. Those people then pointed toward an area inside the home, investigators said. The officers approached the area as they attempted to clear the property and found an unidentified man hiding in a crawl space, according to officials.
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The officers repeatedly told the man to leave the crawl space but he refused, investigators said. The officers then struggled with the man as they continued to try and get him to leave, according to police. One of the officers used a Taser on the man but it was not effective, officials said. As the man tried to take the Taser from the officer, a shot was fired, according to investigators. One of the officers, a 27-year-old man, then fell to the floor, suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand.
Two of the other officers and a sergeant then pulled out their weapons and opened fire, shooting the man who was in the crawl space at least once, investigators said. The officers then left the home and a barricade situation was declared.
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The wounded officer -- who has been on the force for about a year -- was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was placed in stable condition. He was later released from the hospital shortly before 10:30 p.m., waving to his fellow officers who applauded him.
A SWAT team later entered the home along the 2800 block of Ruth Street and found the unidentified man in the crawl space suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have not yet confirmed if the man who was shot by police was the same person who shot the officer. They are currently interviewing witnesses as well as the officers involved in the incident. A gun was also recovered from the scene.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
