Men provoked police in two shootings

[WhiteFeather]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/38128814.html

Men provoked police in two shootings

The two men shot by police Tuesday night provoked the incidents, with one of them pointing a gun at officers and the other wrestling with an officer over control of a gun, authorities said yesterday. Marcus Henderson, 35, of the unit block of 58th Street in West Philadelphia, was shot after authorities said he pointed a gun at officers investigating gunshots shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of Callowhill Street.

Less than 30 minutes later, Jamaar Morton, 23, of Upper Dublin, Montgomery County, was shot by an officer in West Oak Lane after he allegedly grabbed the officer's gun during a traffic stop in 7300 block of North 20th Street.

"It's scary when you see something like that," police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said of the second case. "He definitely was ready to fight police."

The department is already investigating three fatal officer-involved shootings since New Year's Day. Last year started off similarly, with three civilians injured and three killed by police in January; two officers were killed in the line of duty last year, as well.

In the Callowhill Street confrontation, police responded to a report of gunshots, Vanore said. Officers found spent bullet shells on the street, and a witness told them that shots had been fired by someone in a burgundy Dodge Charger.

The car was spotted nearby, parked at the corner of Felton Street and Girard Avenue. Officers approached the vehicle to question the three men inside.

"At some point, they all jumped from the car and fled on foot," Vanore said.

One of the men ran west on Girard. An officer chased him for several blocks before the man, later identified as Henderson, pulled a gun, Vanore said.

"He turned with his firearm and pointed it at the officer," Vanore said. "They ran a few more blocks before the guy turned with the gun again."

The officer fired several shots, striking Henderson in the torso and an arm, Vanore said. Investigators recovered a 9mm gun at the scene, he said.

Henderson was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was reported to be in stable condition yesterday.

Henderson - who has a long list of arrests, according to court records - was charged with aggravated assault, weapons counts and related charges.

The two other men were caught and could face charges as well, Vanore said, possibly related to a shooting in the neighborhood earlier Tuesday.

Less than a half-hour later, Morton was pulled over in a Chevrolet Lumina in the 7300 block of North 20th Street in West Oak Lane for traffic violations. Officers discovered narcotics in the car, tried to arrest Morton, and a struggle broke out, Vanore said.

"The driver dislodged a gun, a Glock 9mm, from an officer's holster," Vanore said. "There was a battle over the gun and the officer regained it. It discharged, striking the man in his side."

Morton was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition yesterday. Twenty vials of crack cocaine were recovered, Vanore said.

Morton, who has a long record of drug arrests, was charged with aggravated assault and narcotics counts, Vanore said.

Residents on the block said they heard two gunshots Tuesday night and saw at least one police cruiser when they looked outside.

Katherine Chalmos, 33, who lives in the 7300 block of 20th, said she heard two shots and fell to the floor as she was watching the presidential inaugural ball on television.

A 19-year-old woman who lives about halfway down the block from the shooting said she had just walked out of her front door when when she heard the gunfire.

"Like two or three shots . . . it was like pow, pow, pow." Then she said she heard an authoritative voice yell, "Get down on the ground."

Chalk marks at the scene yesterday morning marked the site of two shell casings.

The Police Department's Internal Affairs unit is investigating the two cases. The names of the officers involved were not released.

Last year, 11 people were killed by police during confrontations, compared with 15 people fatally shot in 2007. Last year, officers discharged their weapons 74 times, including accidentally and to shoot dogs. In 2007, there were 93 discharges.

Anyone suprised about the repeat criminal offenders in this story?

[granuale]

Seems like just another day on the battlefield in the war on some drugs.

[pacodelahoya]

Seems like just another day on the battlefield in the war on people who use some drugs.

There, fixed that for ya.

[MichaelJ]

For someone to blatently attack someone they know is armed in this manner shows an obvious lack of the gene for self preservation and good judgement. I'd like to thank the police who are tossing a bit of bleach in the gene pool.

[Arcana71]

Three things:
1. I'm glad they found a way to mention the inauguration.
2. Apparently, a Glock will still go off all by itself.
3. It's good to know that "Level 0 Retention" is still so popular.

[LM4300]

Seems like just another day on the battlefield in the war on some drugs.

Re-read the article. The first incident was a shots fired call and turned into a pursuit when police tried to stop a nearby vehicle. The second was a traffic stop where drugs were discovered after the traffic violations were observed. These savages were not mild-mannered stoners being picked on by cops. You're shoe-horning your agenda in to this unneccesarily.

[LM4300]

3. It's good to know that "Level 0 Retention" is still so popular.

I don't know what the PPD's rules and regs are for issued equipment, but when I see Glocks they are usually carried in a Sarfariland Level 1 holster with a rotating hood. But I've seen all manner of holsters and guns carried by PPD when I'm out that way.

[AnimalHousePA]

Can the military please just perform surgical strikes on certain areas of the city and take out these neighborhoods that are breeding these animals? Unfortunately, most of the city would be destroyed but it would be safer for sure!
I'm being facetious of course but where does it end? These subhumans are slowly taking over Frankford and other parts of the city that were once outside of the areas they used to inhabit. They are moving from Southwest into Delco and destroying that area. Unfortunately, parts of Delco suffer from white trash as well...Just a sad situation...

[MichaelJ]

I'd be interested in seeing a map overlay of drug arrests vs homicide in these cities. I'm sure the pins would be within a few blocks of each other.

I'm not good with calling any person "subhumans" since I think that would almost explain their behaviour as something they can't control. They are normal human beings who are choosing to act in the manner that they do, and must be held fully accountable for their actions.

They are choosing to break the law. They are choosing to be violent. They are choosing to re-offend later. I do not want any misunderstanding that these people are choosing to do these actions, these actions just aren't "happening".