By Jan Ransom
The Philadelphia Daily News
PHILADEPHIA — The bandits that held up a bar in Northeast Philadelphia Tuesday night probably didn’t expect two off-duty police officers to be inside.
But that’s exactly what police said happened, leading to an off-duty officer shooting and critically injuring one of the three men who robbed McNally’s Tavern at Rowland Avenue and Brighton Street.
Police said a young man walked into the neighborhood pub at 11 p.m. and ordered a drink. But he left after a bartender asked him for identification because he appeared to be too young to drink.
Moments later that same man and two others returned with guns and announced a robbery, said police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers.
The crooks demanded money from the register. One pointed his gun at the head of one of the off-duty officers and the officer threw his cash onto the floor. As the gunman reached down to pick it up, the officer slowly withdrew his weapon, Evers said.
The officer fired several shots at the thugs, hitting one, later identified by police as Joseph Orr, 20. The men ran from the bar with $1,000 from the register and a wallet containing one of the officers’ badge and identification.
One officer ran after the men, who ran to a dark-colored Honda parked in an alley alongside the bar. Evers said the officer identified himself, one of the gunmen turned toward him, and the officer fired again.
“The officers took some quick actions,” Evers said. “He was a citizen getting robbed and he took duties as a police officer.”
About 30 minutes to an hour later, a dark-colored Honda pulled up to Albert Einstein Medical Center and a 20-year-old man was dropped off with a gunshot wound to the chest, Evers said.
Officers later stopped four men in the same type of car on Mascher Street near Duncannon Avenue. The clothing of two of the men matched that of the robbers. Evers said a fourth man may also have been involved as a getaway driver.
Orr was arrested at the hospital, where he was in critical condition. Also arrested were Luif Alicea, 25; Robert Berkelback, 25; Elizul Figueroa, 20, and a 17-year-old male. All are charged with robbery and related offenses. Police Internal Affairs is investigating the shooting and, as is standard procedure, the officers have been placed on administrative duty.
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