Suspect held on attempted murder charges in standoff, shooting that injured 6 officers
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia man who is accused of shooting six police officers during an hours-long standoff last year appeared in court for a preliminary hearing Thursday.
The hearing came just one day shy of the one year anniversary of the incident.
Maurice Hill, then 36, is facing a long list of charges in the non-fatal shootings of six officers, along with attempted murder and related charges for 24 other officers who were in the line of fire that day.
Maurice Hill, 36, is accused of shooting six Philadelphia police officers last year.
During Thursday's hearing, a judge ordered him to be held until trial. A number of officers involved spoke during the hearing via video call.
Authorities say Hill first opened fire on officers as they served a drug warrant at a Tioga rowhome back on Aug. 14, 2019.
Officers had to escape through windows and doors to get away from the barrage of bullets, according to then police commissioner Richard Ross.
Hill then kept police at bay for hours outside the home on the 4700 block of North 15th Street, continuously firing shots from inside the building. After nearly five hours trapped inside the home with the gunman, SWAT teams were able to free two officers, and three other people who officers had taken into custody as part of the warrant before the shooting began.
Hill eventually surrendered to police after calling his attorney, Shaka Johnson, and asking for help surrendering. Johnson was able to put him in touch with both Krasner and Ross, according to the DA.
Maurice Hill surrenders to police after an hours-long standoff.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has referred to the incident as "the worst mass shooting of Philadelphia police officers in our city’s history."
The six officers who were struck by gunfire were released after being treated at hospitals the night of the shooting.
From left to right (top): Officer Michael Guinter, Officer Nathaniel Harper, Officer Ryan Waltman From left to right (bottom): Officer Justin Matthews, Officer Shaun Parker, Officer Joshua Burkitt
Hill's criminal record includes multiple arrests in Philadelphia and adjacent Delaware County between 2001 and 2012, according to online records. His convictions include assault, perjury, fleeing and eluding, escape and weapons offenses.
He served two stints in state prisons -- three, counting a return for a probation violation. He was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison term over a pair of convictions for being a felon in possession of firearms.
Four other men were also charged with drug offenses in connection with the standoff.
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RELATED COVERAGE:
- D.A. files 62 new sets of charges against man accused of shooting 6 officers during 8-hour standoff
- “They’re going to kill me’: Attorney for Maurice Hill recalls phone call he got from suspect
- DA: Maurice Hill to face enough charges that he 'may never exit jail'
- TIMELINE: 6 officers shot in North Philadelphia, suspect surrenders
- U.S. Attorney McSwain says North Philly standoff was precipitated by disrespect for law enforcement
- Maurice Hill: What we know about man accused of shooting 6 Philadelphia officers
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