Philadelphia Police Officer Shoots Man With His Own Gun While Trying To “Secure” It
BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 7 months ago
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A man was accidentally shot by police with his own gun in Philadelphia’s Germantown section earlier this week.
It happened around 4:14 p.m. Monday on the 5700 block of North 21st Street.
Police say a 62-year-old man was walking his dog on a leash near 20th and Chew streets when one of two loose pit bulls began to attack his dog.
The man reportedly tried to pull the dogs apart but was unsuccessful. That’s when police say the man shot and killed the attacking dog.
The man, who was licensed to carry, then walked home to the 5700 block of North 21st Street to take care of his injured animal.
At some point after the gunfire, the man was able to flag down a 14th District officer to report the incident.
According to police, the man told the officer that he had just shot the dog around the corner and that his gun was in a holster on his side.
The officer told the man that he would have to secure his weapon, and the man placed his hands above his head so the officer could gain access to the weapon, authorities said.
While trying to remove the weapon, authorities say the officer accidentally shot the man in the leg.
A firearm could be SAO, DAO, SA/DA, hammer fired, striker fired, with a frame-mounted safety or without, carried with one in the chamber or not, half cocked or fully cocked, or not cocked at all, with a modified competition trigger or factory trigger, among many other idiosyncrasies and differences.
It is a stupid policy to disarm someone by handling their weapon unless there has been a crime. Touching another man’s weapon is the dumbest thing a police officer could do in just about any situation. I honestly cannot think of an exception to this rule.
I’ll reach out to the police commissioner’s office to see if that’s formal policy for the Philadelphia Police Department, but I probably won’t hear back.
And remember boys and girls, “You’re never in more danger than when the police are around. Get away from them as quickly as possible. No situation is so dangerous that it cannot be made worse by the presence of the police.”
On April 24, 2023 at 1:57 pm, June J said:
The cop was just mad because he didn’t get to shoot the dog.
On April 24, 2023 at 2:32 pm, Paul B said:
Something is off about this one. But, yes, when the police are around you are in danger.
On April 24, 2023 at 10:57 pm, Longbow said:
Well, he had a Super Hero costume on and a Magic Shield pinned to his chest, so he can’t be wrong.
So there.
P.S. June J is probably right on this one.
On April 25, 2023 at 7:42 am, Latigo Morgan said:
Secure the weapon for whose safety?
Such is the plea of tyrants.
On May 1, 2023 at 4:03 am, dave in pa. said:
philly cops are not all that great. there are a FEW good ones. but when I was checking them out back in the 1990’s ( they offered me a job with stake out/swat ) and I went up there to talk with the guy. saw them training and it scared the shit out of me. sweeping each other with loaded weapons and keeping fingers on the trigger ? no thanks !
right then and there, I knew I had to stay as far away as I could from them.
I am amazed that more of them are not shot by their buddies.
hope they got better, but I not too sure about that. the few I did know retired after the DA
got in. they said “what’s is the point, if that asshole is going to let them walk out the door “