PHILADELPHIA, PA — A man was shot and killed by police officers in North Philadelphia Wednesday evening after what authorities describe as a violent struggle during an attempted stop. The incident, which is now the subject of an internal investigation, occurred just after 6:30 p.m. in the Fairhill neighborhood.
According to Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner John Stanford, officers attempted to stop the man near the intersection of Mutter and Somerset Streets on May 21. As they approached, a confrontation quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
Gun Discharged During Struggle
During the scuffle, officials say the man reached into a bag and pulled out a handgun. The weapon reportedly discharged while still in the man’s possession, though it is unclear if the gunfire was intentional or accidental.
“In the course of that struggle, the individual produced a firearm from a bag, and that firearm discharged,” Stanford said during a press briefing late Wednesday. “At that point, two officers discharged their weapons.”
The man was struck in the torso and immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead approximately 15 minutes later, around 6:45 p.m.
Officers Wore Body Cameras, Were Not Injured
Police confirmed that both officers involved were equipped with active body cameras, which are expected to play a central role in the department’s investigation. Neither officer was injured in the incident.
“The body-worn cameras will be reviewed, as well as any surveillance footage from the area,” Stanford added. “We want to be as transparent as possible as we gather facts and determine exactly what led up to this fatal encounter.”
As per departmental policy, the officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Cause of Police Stop Still Unclear
Authorities have yet to clarify what prompted the officers to stop the man in the first place. That detail, officials say, remains a key element of the ongoing inquiry.
“We are still working to determine why the officers initially made contact with the individual,” said Stanford. “That’s part of what our investigators will be looking at closely.”
Police have not released the identity of the man pending notification of next of kin.
Community and Family Await Answers
Residents in the Fairhill neighborhood, a densely populated section of North Philadelphia, say the sound of gunshots and the subsequent police activity startled many who were outside during the early evening hours.
“I heard the shots and then saw a bunch of flashing lights. It was chaos,” said one local resident who declined to give her name. “I just hope we get the full story.”
As word of the shooting spread, community advocates called for a thorough and impartial investigation, expressing concern about another police-involved fatality in the city.
“It’s critical that we get full transparency here — what led to the stop, whether the officers followed protocol, and whether deadly force was justified,” said Sean McIntyre, a local civil rights attorney. “These are the kinds of questions that need to be answered swiftly and honestly.”
Next Steps in the Investigation
The Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau will lead the review, alongside the city’s Independent Police Oversight Commission. Officials did not provide a timeline for when findings might be released.
Deputy Commissioner Stanford emphasized that all available video footage, including from city surveillance and private security cameras in the area, will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
“Our goal is to get this right and to be transparent about what happened,” he said.
As of Thursday morning, police had not disclosed whether the man fired the weapon before officers opened fire, nor had they revealed how many shots were fired by the officers.
“This article was written by Mathew Owen. AI tools were used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.”
