A Philly officer shot a dirt bike rider who allegedly had a gun, police say
Police leaders are investigating an incident in which an officer shot and wounded an alleged illegal dirt bike rider.
A Philadelphia police officer shot and wounded a dirt bike rider in the city’s Fairhill neighborhood Saturday amidst an ongoing police effort to crack down on the illegal practice.
According to police, officers assigned to a special anti-ATV detail spotted the rider backing into a garage at Sixth and Somerset Streets about 3:30 p.m.
“They were following him on his dirt bike, which we know is illegal in the city,” Deputy Commissioner Mike Cram told 6abc, adding that an officer confronted the rider after he had stopped.
The rider allegedly displayed a gun and an officer then fired at least twice, police said. The individual was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was in critical condition Saturday evening.
The city has been grappling with illegal use of dirt bikes and ATVs on Philadelphia streets, and the police department has recently stepped up enforcement against the practice.
“They disturb the peace and quality of our neighborhoods,” Cram said. “They don’t care they are a public safety risk and this is a prime example of why we do enforcement against them.”
It is unknown whether any officers were injured in the incident, which is under investigation.