Suspect Who Ambushed Philly Cop Pledged Allegiance To Islamic State

Officers investigate the scene of a shooting Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, in Philadelphia. A Philadelphia police officer was shot multiple times by a man who ambushed him as he sat in his marked police cruiser, authorities ... Officers investigate the scene of a shooting Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, in Philadelphia. A Philadelphia police officer was shot multiple times by a man who ambushed him as he sat in his marked police cruiser, authorities said. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

UPDATE: Jan. 8, 2016, 2:08 PM ET

The suspect who ambushed a police officer sitting in his squad car Thursday night, shooting him three times, said he acted in the name of Islam and pledged his loyalty to the Islamic State, Philadelphia police commissioner Richard Ross said Friday

The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer, “came out of nowhere” and started firing on the officer as he sat in his patrol car, Ross said in a press conference.

“He was trying to assassinate this police officer,” Ross said. “He just started firing with one aim and one aim only, to kill him.”

The suspect used a stolen police-issued weapon in the shooting of Philadelphia officer Jesse Hartnett, who was hit three times in the arm, he said.

The gunman fired at least 13 shots toward Hartnett and eventually got up next to the car and reached through the driver’s-side window. Despite being seriously wounded, Hartnett got out of his car, chased the suspect and returned fire, wounding his attacker.

Ross called it “astonishing” that Hartnett survived the attack and managed to return fire.

Hartnett is in stable condition, and Archer was treated and released into police custody.

Valerie Holliday, Archer’s mother, described her son as a devout Muslim who had recently begun to hear voices to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, currently in his first week in office, said Archer’s actions are “abhorrent” and have nothing to do with the teachings of Islam.

“This is a criminal with a stolen gun who tried to kill one of our officers,” he told the Associated Press. “It has nothing to do with being a Muslim or following the Islamic faith.”

This story has been updated.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Well, I guess Andrea Tantaros will soon enough say this means we have to nuke Iran. And impeach Obama. And make broccoli illegal.

  2. Avatar for mymy mymy says:

    If the police used smart guns (which are disabled for anyone but the owner) this couldn’t have taken place. If the guy had to steal a police officer’s gun, that means he didn’t have any big money backing from the supposed Islamic State he pledged to.

  3. WHOA WHOA WHOA there’s a bit of MISSING INFORMATION here:

    Reached at her home in Lansdowne, his mother, Valerie Holliday, said Archer was the eldest of seven children and suffered head injuries from playing football and a moped accident.

    “He’s been acting kind of strange lately. He’s been talking to himself . . . laughing and mumbling,” Holliday said. “He’s been hearing voices in his head. We asked him to get medical help.”

  4. Rather unpatriotic of you to throw in some misdirection that would soften our anger at Muslims.

  5. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    Where exactly in Syria is Lansdowne?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

25 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lockheedkeynesian Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for silas1898 Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for mymy Avatar for bluestatedon Avatar for trippin Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for sniffit Avatar for chatterboxing Avatar for baffie2 Avatar for rockgolf Avatar for benjoya Avatar for bardi Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for darrtown Avatar for pshah Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for lcelsie Avatar for albesure

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: