Thorndale, Pa. — Authorities say a man was shot and wounded by a suburban Philadelphia police officer after ramming a police vehicle during a chase and threatening to shoot officers, although he turned out to be unarmed.
The Chester County district attorney’s office said police were told of a stolen vehicle in a convenience store parking lot in Downingtown shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday. Prosecutors said the person who had been driving it stole another car from the lot and fled into a residential neighborhood.
Prosecutors said a Caln Township officer was trying to deploy stop strips to halt the stolen car, but as he was getting the strips from his police vehicle it was rammed head-on by the suspect’s vehicle at high speed and forced backward about 40 yards. Prosecutors said the officer had to dive out of the way and was showed by debris.
Prosecutors said the other car halted about 50 yards away and the suspect got out and started walking away, and when officers approached within 15 feet he stopped, turned to face them and threatened to shoot, holding his hands together and pointing them at toward the officers. One officer fired four times, striking him in his right leg.
Prosecutors said the suspect got up after being shot and continued to indicate that he was looking for a gun, and again made motions as if he had a firearm, but the officers were within arm’s length and knew he wasn’t armed. They tried to de-escalate things, but when he opened the door of the stolen car an officer deployed a stun gun.
The suspect was taken to Paoli Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to the thigh and an elbow fracture and was expected to be released soon. Prosecutors said their investigation continues and didn’t immediately release information about charges.
