Authorities announced that two police officers were discharged from Philadelphia Hospital after being treated for gunshot wounds Monday night.
In comments made to the press at midnight, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the officers as long-standing members of local law enforcement agencies. The one is currently 36 years old and is assigned to the city’s Highway Patrol unit. The other is 44 years old and works as a Bomb Squad Technician for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Outlaw stated that both officers were present at a Fourth of July concert and celebration in Philadelphia. The incident occurred near the Museum of Art. The video footage captured panicked attendees running from the scene.
After two officers were shot in the area around 2500 Spring Garden Street, policemen fled the scene. This was supposed to have been a night of celebration. @CBSPhilly pic.twitter.com/Bye1OEzQmF
As bullets struck the foreheads of the highway patrol officer and bomb squad technician, the officers were not injured. Philadelphia Police Department is investigating the shooting. They are still looking for a suspect to determine if officers were intentionally targeted.
Outlaw stated that “we don’t know whether this was ricochet of celebratory gunfire [or] if it was intentional.” He also noted that it wasn’t clear how many bullets were fired, and that some officers may have been hit by stray bullets. As of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made in connection to the shooting.
In remarks about the incident, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney appealed to lawmakers for stricter gun control measures. This came hours after a shooting at a Fourth of July celebration in Highland Park, Illinois that left at least six dead.
Kenney said, “This country is a gun nation.” It’s insane, we are the most armed nation in the world and yet we are the safest. We’ll have this problem until Americans give up guns and the chance to acquire guns.
“This is a gun country. It’s crazy. It’s crazy. https://t.co/nV54amQyDB pic.twitter.com/GGnB6AI7lL
Kenney said that he would be “happy” if he was no longer mayor.
