Police: Armed suspect shot and killed by police in North Philadelphia
Police: Armed suspect shot and killed by police in North Philadelphia
Curtis Smith, 33, was fatally shot by police during a foot chase-turned-brawl with an officer Thursday afternoon in North Philadelphia. Police say Smith pointed a gun at an officer which caused the officer to fire at least one time towards Smith. During a fight between Smith and the officer, police say Smith's gun went off which caused another officer to open fire several times.
PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a foot pursuit ended in a deadly officer-involved shooting Thursday afternoon in North Philadelphia.
Two officers from the Philadelphia Police Department responded to an auto investigation on the 1200 block of Dauphin Street just before 2:30 p.m.
The officers pulled up to a vacant lot and saw a group of people surrounding a vehicle, according to police. When one of the officers exited their cruiser, police say some of the people fled.
"They were stripping the vehicle," Sergeant Eric Gripp told FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce. "Seats were taken out, airbags were removed, all kinds of parts were being removed."
Moments later, another person emerged from near the car and also took off running. That's when police say the officers started a foot pursuit that extended down the 2200 block of Camac Street and through an open field.
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With both officer trailing him, the suspect then ran inside the back of a property on the 1200 block of Dauphin Street and into an alleyway between two buildings. Sergeant Gripp told reporters the suspect then pointed a gun at one of the officers which caused that officer to fire one shot.
A struggle then ensued between the suspect and the officer, during which police say the suspect's gun fired at least once. Investigators say the second officer who was involved in the foot chase heard the gunshots and found the officer and the armed suspect engaged in a fight, and fired several shots towards the suspect.
Responding officers drove the 33-year-old suspect, identified by family members as Curtis Smith, to Temple Hospital where he died from several gunshot wounds to the body, according to authorities.
Neither officer was injured during the struggled, according to police. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle that the crowd was surrounding was reported stolen.