Philly cop was accidentally shot in his ballistic vest by his partner during struggle with man, police say
Officer Thomas Thompson, 37, shot his partner as both officers struggled with Aaron Rainey outside of Friends Hospital. Thompson also fatally shot Rainey, who had gotten his partner's gun, police say.
A Philadelphia officer shot in his ballistic vest during a struggle with a man last week outside a hospital in the city’s Crescentville section was hit by friendly fire from his partner, police said Wednesday.
The man, Aaron Rainey, 36, was fatally shot by Officer Thomas Thompson, 37, during an altercation outside Friends Hospital on the 4600 block of Roosevelt Boulevard early last Thursday afternoon, police said in a statement Wednesday.
Rainey had allegedly grabbed a gun from Thompson’s partner and fired it, but did not hit anyone, police said.
Shortly before 12:30 p.m. that day, Thompson and his partner encountered Rainey running through traffic on the 5000 block of Torresdale Avenue, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said last week. The man agreed to be voluntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation at the hospital, and was transported without handcuffs in the back of a police van, Bethel said.
Police said Wednesday that after the officers arrived at the hospital, Thompson’s partner opened the police van’s rear doors and explained the process of self-committal to Rainey, “who became upset and quickly became agitated.”
Rainey then allegedly rushed toward Thompson’s partner, knocking the officer to the ground. A physical altercation ensued between Rainey and both officers, police said.
Rainey attempted to grab Thompson’s partner’s Taser and his firearm, police said. Thompson deployed his Taser at Rainey, but was unable to subdue him. Rainey then grabbed Thompson’s partner’s gun and “both officers separated from Rainey,” police said.
“Officer Thompson discharged his firearm, striking Rainey. Rainey then discharged the firearm toward Officer Thompson, missing him,” police said.
Thompson’s partner was struck in his ballistic vest, and based on a preliminary department investigation, it is believed that the vest was hit by a bullet fired from Thompson, police said. The bullet did not penetrate the vest.
Rainey was transported to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:07 p.m. Thursday.
NBC10 last week interviewed Rainey’s mother, who said her son had been experiencing mental-health problems for several years and that they had recently gotten worse.
Both officers were taken to Temple University Hospital, where they were treated and released, police said.
Police said they reviewed video of the incident, including from Thompson’s partner’s body-worn camera, which was activated during the ground struggle.
Thompson was described as a nine-year veteran of the department who is assigned to the 15th District. He has been assigned to administrative duty while the department conducts internal investigations.
Thompson’s partner, who was not named because he did not fire his weapon, is 30 years old and has been with the department for five years. He also is assigned to the 15th District.