Police shoot hit-and-run suspect outside King of Prussia Mall

Police shot an armed hit-and-run suspect Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the King of Prussia Mall after a chase on a busy pre-Christmas shopping weekend, authorities said.

Upper Merion Township Police Chief Thomas Nolan said the suspect was a 27-year-old man from Philadelphia but did not share his identity because the suspect hadn’t been charged yet. Nolan said Sunday night that police were with the suspect at the hospital, and that it was possible he would be released and taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

The officer was not injured.

“You have the largest shopping mall by retail space in the country, Sunday before Christmas,” Nolan said. “It could have been very, very different.”

Upper Merion police said they were notified of the hit-and-run accident in the area of the Green Deck at the mall about 2:30 p.m. The hit-and-run victim was able to take a photo of the suspect’s vehicle, Nolan said. But as a bike officer responded to the area, a red Nissan Juke fled at a high rate of speed, police said, and attempted to exit the mall property by the Seasons 52 steakhouse exit that leads to North Gulph Road.

As the Juke got stuck in traffic, a marked patrol car pulled up behind it, which prompted the Juke’s driver to turn right, jump the curb and drive into the steakhouse parking lot and off a four-foot stone wall, where the vehicle became disabled, police said.

As the pursuing officer got out of his vehicle and approached the Juke, the driver exited holding a 9mm handgun, police said. Both he and the officer fired their weapons; Nolan said that, based on what authorities know, they believe the suspect fired first.

The suspect was shot at least twice in his legs and was taken to Paoli Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He is expected to be charged with a felony, according to Nolan.

The number of shots fired was not immediately made available by Nolan, though video from the scene showed the red car shot with multiple bullets.

Nolan said that police were able to collect statements from people who were in the parking lot at the time of the shooting and that they continue to collect surveillance footage from around the mall.

The case is being investigated by the Montgomery County Detectives Bureau and the officer involved is on administrative leave per the police department’s policy regarding officer-involved shootings.

Authorities ask that anyone with information about the case call the Upper Merion Township Police Department at 610-265-3232.