Philadelphia police: Suspect shot officer in name of Islam

ERRIN WHACK, Associated Press


PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man accused of ambushing a police officer and firing shots at point-blank range said he was acting in the name of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, Philadelphia authorities said Friday.

Both the officer and suspect were injured during the barrage of gunfire late Thursday at an intersection as the officer sat in his police car.

The suspect was identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer. Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Archer told police he believed the department defends laws that are contrary to Islam.

Ross said there was no apparent motive for the attack. Police said there was no indication anyone else was involved.

"He just came out of nowhere and started firing on him," Ross said of the suspect. "He just started firing with one aim and one aim only, to kill him."

Officer Jesse Hartnett shouted, "I'm bleeding heavily!" into his police radio, got out of his car and chased the suspect before police apprehended him.

The gunman fired at least 13 shots toward Hartnett and eventually reached through the driver's-side window. The officer returned fire, hitting his attacker at least three times.

Hartnett, 33, was in stable condition.

"I don't know how this officer survived," Ross said. "This is absolutely one of the scariest things I've ever seen."

Archer's mother, Valerie Holliday, told The Philadelphia Inquirer her son has been hearing voices recently and that the family asked him to get help. She also described him as a devout Muslim.

The gun used by Archer was stolen from an officer's home in 2013, police said.

Jim Kenney, in his first week as mayor of the nation's fifth-largest city, called Archer's actions "abhorrent" and said they have nothing to do the teachings of Islam.

The mayor also said, "There are just too many guns on the streets, and I think our national government needs to do something about that."

His statement comes after President Barack Obama's announcement Tuesday of his plan to tighten gun control laws.

Last March, Archer pleaded guilty to firearms and assault charges stemming from a 2012 case but was immediately released and placed on probation, court records show. Records also show he was scheduled to be sentenced Monday in suburban Philadelphia in a traffic and forgery case.

The attorney who represented him in the firearms case was unavailable to comment because he was in court, his office said. A message to his lawyer in the forgery case was not immediately returned.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-09

Jim Kenney, in his first week as mayor of the nation's fifth-largest city, called Archer's actions "abhorrent" and said they have nothing to do the teachings of Islam.

It sounds like the wrong guy was shot.

Edited January 9, 201610 yr by Pimay1

Not like the good old days when I was a cop and can sit in my patrol car eating my doughnuts. The only worries I had was the Sgt. driving by.

"(Police Commissioner Richard) Ross said there was no apparent motive for the attack."

Ya wanna clue?

"(Police Commissioner Richard) Ross said there was no apparent motive for the attack."

Ya wanna clue?

How about this one?

said he was acting in the name of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group

Mr Trump will have a field day with this.....

These events are beginning to pop up left and right across the Western world. It will soon be difficult to keep count of them. This is how low intensity conflicts bubble up and then eventually become open warfare.

Mr Trump will have a field day with this.....

Because he was right.

Mr Trump will have a field day with this.....

And so he should.

"(Police Commissioner Richard) Ross said there was no apparent motive for the attack."

Ya wanna clue?

How about this one?

said he was acting in the name of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group

Careful You will be banned for saying that. Truth hurts these people of peace ...

Now where my bacon ?

No idea what his motives were..... Really? It's like the Western world is being run by the Three stooges.....

I can't say much more, as I have already been banned on this site three times for daring to imply that Islam was anything but THE RELIGION OF PEACE....,

maybe some of these people that constantly and so defiantly claim that these incidents, nor ISIS, have anything to do with Islam, go over to Syria and educate ISIS all about the correct teachings of Islam???

Good luck with that..

Good ol' U.S. of A.

Got to admire a country that stands up for its rights and allows its citizens to bear arms. God forbid they should alter their law and prevent their fundamental right to slaughter schoolkids and shoot policemen and generally piss people off.

The NRA must be very proud of itself.

One thing for sure. If you are not Islamic they hate you and you might be next! jihad

Jim Kenney, in his first week as mayor of the nation's fifth-largest city, called Archer's actions "abhorrent" and said they have nothing to do the teachings of Islam.

It sounds like the wrong guy was shot.

ISIS and ISlam is the same and both are like time bombs that can go off at any time. jihad!

These events are beginning to pop up left and right across the Western world. It will soon be difficult to keep count of them. This is how low intensity conflicts bubble up and then eventually become open warfare.

Just thought about the same. Today it was Hurghada, Thursday in the US and a few days ago in Paris.

Their are just to many sick Muslims that go on lynching trips.

Another fine specimen from the disease known as Islam...aka "The Superstition Of Peace". (puke)

You tell 'em , Donald.

It's us versus them. What is bewildering is the fact 100% of them know it and we have apologists amongst us?