Police ID man fatally shot by officer in E. Germantown; they say he fled, refused to show hands

A Philadelphia man fatally wounded by a police officer in the city's East Germantown section Wednesday night had been driving a vehicle sought in connection with a homicide this month, police said Thursday.

He was identified by police late Thursday afternoon as Dennis Plowden, 25, of the 1600 block of East Walnut Lane in West Oak Lane.

Police said Plowden hit another officer with the car during a traffic stop and drove away. Then he crashed it, and was shot after refusing to show his hands to the officer who found him outside the car.

Investigators have since determined that Plowden was not connected to the homicide, First Deputy Commissioner Myron Patterson said at a news conference at Police Headquarters.

About 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Patterson said, plainclothes officers in two unmarked vehicles spotted a 2013 white Hyundai sedan with a Pennsylvania tag that was connected to a Dec. 21 shooting death in Kensington.

The officers, who activated their police lights, stopped the Hyundai at 16th Street and Nedro Avenue in Ogontz. As one officer was trying to get out of his vehicle, the driver struck the officer and the unmarked police unit with the Hyundai, then drove off, Patterson said.

Plowden drove west on Nedro before crashing the car into two parked vehicles on the 1900 block, police said.

Two plainclothes officers in the undamaged vehicle pursued the car. Plowden, who had gotten out, had at least one hand in his jacket pocket while sitting on the sidewalk and refused repeated commands from the officers to show his hands, a police spokesman, Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, said.

That's when one of the officers fired one shot, hitting Plowden in the head, police said. He was taken to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:18 a.m. Thursday.

Patterson said homicide detectives have determined that he was not connected to the Dec. 21 homicide on the 1800 block of East Atlantic Street.

No weapon was found on or near Plowden after he was shot or in the Hyundai, police said. He was not the owner of the Hyundai, police said. They declined to say why the car was sought in connection with the homicide, which remains under investigation.

A woman, 27, who was a passenger in the car, was taken to Einstein for treatment of bruises and scrapes from the crash, police said.

The injured officer was treated and released from Temple University Hospital for injuries to his right arm and hand.

This was the 13th police-involved shooting this year, Kinebrew said.

Mayor Kenney released a statement Thursday night saying his prayers were with Plowden's family and friends.

"It is always tragic to lose someone you love," the statement said. "I am relieved there were no serious injuries to the officer or to the other passenger in the car. The Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit will do a full investigation. I look forward to them coming to a speedy resolution for the sake of Mr. Plowden, his family, the officers and for Philadelphia."