On the night of October 12, 2023, just after 11 p.m., a shooting unfolded at the Philadelphia International Airport parking garage, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old police officer and injuring another officer, aged 60.

Both officers had just reported for their shift with the airport police unit when they observed individuals trying to break into a parked car. As they approached to confront the suspects, gunfire erupted. One or more of the perpetrators opened fire, leading to the death and injury of the officers.

The 50-year-old officer, a 22-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. He was immediately transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center but was sadly pronounced dead at 11:34 pm. He is survived by his wife and child.

The second officer was shot in the arm. He was quickly taken to a medical facility where he is currently in stable condition.

In the wake of the shooting, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford expressed deep concern over the growing number of incidents involving the targeting of officers in Philadelphia. The shooting was not an isolated event. Earlier in October, Philadelphia police officers faced gunfire multiple times, including on three separate occasions just last week. 

Commissioner Stanford voiced his anguish, describing the recent shooting as another distressing “numb moment” for the police department.

The police are actively investigating the incident, searching for several suspects believed to be connected to the shooting. Additionally, they are on the lookout for a Dodge Durango, which is suspected to be related to the crime. 

In a potentially related event, an 18-year-old matching the description of one of the suspects was later found with gunshot wounds and dropped off at a children’s hospital. This individual was pronounced dead upon arrival. The exact link between this individual and the airport shooting is still under investigation.