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Video: Phila. officer beaten with his own baton

Even after being shot, suspect kept attacking

By Police1 Staff

PHILADELPHIA — New cell phone video shows a struggle in which a Philadelphia police officer shot a suspect who was relentlessly beating him with his own baton, refusing to let up.

In the video, a tall, heavyset robbery suspect lunges at the officer in the middle of a street May 19 and begins striking and punching him. According to police, the officer attempted to ward him off with his steel baton, but dropped it as the suspect reached for his service weapon.

At that point, the suspect began to beat the officer with the baton, and witnesses said the officer called for backup using a radio worn on his shoulder, then fired seven shots at close range. The attacker was struck five or six times but did not seem to be affected by the bullets.

Police praised the officer for quickly putting to use the tools available to him during a high-pressure situation.

“He used his physical strength. That wasn’t working … He was using his gun to protect himself,” Lt. Raymond Evers told My Fox Philly.

Officers responding to the distress call eventually got the suspect, still on his feet, to lie down. He remains in jail, and police are investigating the incident.

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