iradiophilly | News - Philadelphia Cop Recovering After Ambush Shooting, Suspect Confesses He Did It 'in name of Islam'

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Philadelphia Cop Recovering After Ambush Shooting, Suspect Confesses He Did It 'in name of Islam'

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 01/09/16 5:57 am | updated: 01/09/16 7:06 pm

33-year-old Philadelphia Police officer Jesse Hartnett was shot 3 times in the left arm while sitting in his patrol car at 60th and Spruce Street in West Philadelphia around 11:30 p.m. Thursday night. (see video below) 30-year-old Edward Archer of Yeadon ambushed the officer, firing 11 shots from a 9mm hand gun up to point blank range. Officer Hartnett was able to exit his vehicle, give chase to Archer, and return fire hitting the suspect. He radioed in for backup who apprehended the suspect. (listen to radio call below) Archer is recovering at the hospital in stable condition. He will require multiple surgeries on his arm followed by a lengthy recovery. Hartnett spent 8 years in the Coast Guard before entering the police academy. He has been on the police force for 5 years. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Officer Hartnett: https://www.gofundme.com/JesseHartnett

Archer told investigators on Friday that he had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and ISIS and that he did it 'in the name of Islam.' He said that the shooting was "an attempted assassination of a police officer." Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said during a news conference, "According to him, he believed that the police defend laws that are contrary to the teachings of the Quran." FBI investigators have determined that he traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2011 and to Egypt in 2012. They have not determined if he has any connections to oversees terrorist groups. Police say that there are no indications at this time that anyone else was involved. Fox29 reports that his brother says Archer is not mentally ill and did travel to Mecca for Hajj (in Saudi Arabia) but believes the attack is more related to the alleged mistreatment of African American men by law enforcement than a religious statement. His mother has said that he is a devout muslim but is mentally unstable and has been 'hearing voices.' Philadelpiha Mayor Jim Kenney decried the act saying that it had nothing to do with Islam or Muslim beliefs, just a criminal trying to kill an officer. Local Muslim leaders also denounced the act and are praying for the wounded officer.

The gun used was determined to be a police issued Glock 9mm that was stolen from an officer's home in October 2013. Archer does have a criminal past. In fact, he was due in Delaware County court on Monday for sentencing on a forgery and fraud case. He pled guilty to 2012 charges of carrying a firearm without a license, aggravated assault and making terroristic threats in March 2015 but was immediately paroled on time served.

The FBI is also investigating all aspects of this case and trying to determine if any and the nature of the terroristic aspects of the shooting and Archer's claims.

UPDATE: Archer has been arraigned and is being held without bail. He is charged with attempted Murder, aggravated Assault, aggravated assault on police, violation of uniform fire arm, reckless endangerment of another person, and terrorist threats and simple assault

Listen to Officer Jesse Hartnett's radio call:

Watch the surveillance video of the shooting incident:

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by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA | responded: 01/09 6:02 am

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