PHILADELPHIA, (Reuters) – A gunman claiming allegiance to Islamic State militants shot and seriously wounded a Philadelphia police officer, saying he ambushed his patrol car “in the name of Islam,” the city’s police commissioner said yesterday.
Edward Archer of Philadelphia approached Officer Jesse Hartnett, 33, shortly before midnight and fired 11 rounds, three of which hit the officer in his arm, authorities said. Police released still images from surveillance video that showed the gunman dressed in a long white robe walking toward the car and firing, eventually getting close enough to shoot at point-blank range through the window.
Hartnett chased Archer, who was arrested by responding officers and later confessed to the attack, police officials told reporters.