Two robbers shot and seriously wounded an off-duty Philadelphia police officer and killed the cop’s friend in Hunting Park last night.
The violent encounter unfolded on Marshall Street near Cayuga, a narrow block that longtime residents said has been plagued with crime in recent months.
Authorities said that the off-duty cop, Martin Campbell, 23, was walking down the street with two friends about 7:15 p.m. when they were suddenly confronted by two men in hoodies.
The thugs announced their intentions to rob Campbell and his pals. One of the assailants — a thin 6-foot-tall black man in a white hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and brown boots — then opened fire with a silver handgun, police said.
Campbell was wounded in the left leg, police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said.
He was rushed into surgery in critical condition at Temple University Hospital because the bullet apparently nicked an artery in his leg, Vanore said. He was later upgraded to serious condition.
Campbell’s friend, who was identified by relatives as Rasheem Allen, was shot in the face. He died at the scene. The other friend apparently was not injured.
The shooter and his cohort — a 5-foot-6 black man with a goatee, who wore a blue jacket, gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a black skull cap — fled the scene on foot.
A few hours later, two men fitting the suspects’ description were in custody after a pulse-pounding encounter with police at 11th and Venango streets, Vanore said.
One man was shot by police after he pulled a gun and was taken to Temple Hospital, Vanore said. The other man was arrested at the scene.
Campbell, an officer for two years who works in the 5th District in Roxborough, was carrying his police-issued service weapon but did not attempt to use it, Vanore said.
An hour after the shooting, residents had quietly lined their steps and porches to watch the police activity.
A handful of crime-scene investigators crouched next to cars, looking for evidence, while other cops had squeezed their cruisers down narrow neighborhood alleys, on the lookout for the suspects. A police helicopter had circled overhead while its searchlight danced across rooftops.
Relatives of both victims became emotional when they visited the crime scene.
“That’s my cousin that just got killed! I mean, I’m hurting right now,” said Yvonne Walden, as she peered from behind a strip of yellow police tape at Marshall Street, where Allen’s body lay on the ground, covered by a brown blanket.
Walden said that Allen, who was in his early 20s and had a young son, grew up in that Hunting Park neighborhood and was “probably visiting some friends.”
A man who identified himself as a relative of Campbell’s paced nervously at the other end of Marshall Street near Wingohocking.
“People don’t know too much of what happened tonight,” he said. “I’m just happy he’s OK, and godspeed his getting out [of the hospital].”
A cadre of city officials, including Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey and Mayor Nutter, gathered at Temple hospital last night to monitor the wounded cop’s progress.
Nutter said that the shooting was “reminiscent” of other violent incidents that claimed the lives of seven police officers in the last three years.
Ramsey said that the shooting was “just one more example of the kind of violence that takes place all too often on our streets.”
Back on Marshall Street, longtime resident Alfredo Toro bemoaned a recent spike in car break-ins and shootings in the neighborhood. His son, he noted, was a friend of Allen’s.
“What a shame. He was a nice kid,” Toro said, nodding toward the crime scene. “Bad way to end the year, huh?”
Comment removed.
That area right there is notorious for heavy open air drug activity. If the police and courts just let some areas be open air drug markets, you have addicts who are going to rob people, break into cars -- Why did we suspend Operation Pressure Point in December, when it must be all year around? Furloughing cops is out of the question also. NYC is on record to have the lowest murder rate in 43 years. NY got tough -- tough mand min laws, Rockefeller drug laws, sentencing reform that gives judges less ability to drop serious charges like gun charges, and NYC doesn't underwrite bail like Philly. Philly is owed $1 billion in forfeit bail, and the press simply spent enough time on this. I realize the crime writers are more busy than the sports writers, but we need the crime writers to cover the systemic flaws like the Pulitzer worthy "Justice Delayed, Deferred, Denied." It is not a given that Philly must be an open air prison in certain areas. These are communities that are infected with repeat violent felons and those with open warrants because the courts and board of probation and parole, City Council, and the PA Legislature allow it. We need a Republican governor in PA.— CleanupPhilly- Btw, either WPVI or KYW is reporting online that the guy who pulled the gun on cop and got himself shot had nothing do with this robbery, but just decided it was randomly a good day to pull a gun on a cop. That is how much of an open air drug market this is. These guys are standing around, armed, selling, using, and the courts and the judges are allowing this low prosecution rate, while Seth Williams says he wants to "increase plea deals" that put these guys right back out on the street.— CleanupPhilly
- Lookfar, I've lived in other cities, and they just do not have 25,000 violent warrants open, wandering around the city. No city has that many outstanding violent warrant holders, or a conviction rate for felons that is this low. They also do have mandatory minimums to counter the political pressure on judges to save money. The movement to make sentences meaningful again resulted in three violent felony strikes, something that is still completely foreign in PA. There just is no other way to make Philly livable. It's an environmental issue if the left feels queasy -- you can't have livable cities spare open space and reduce traffic if you can't live in those cities because they are open air prisons. There are three convicted violent felons in two public housing apartments in my neighborhood right now, who are known by PHA to have these records and yet are legal tenants. No other housing authority in any other city allows such abuses to stand. No press allows such abuses to stand for fear of criticizing a political party. The partisan nature of politics here prevents change that makes a better Democrat. We have to have a GOP governor to counter it, to improve the caliber of Democrat that rules Philly.— CleanupPhilly
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- what the hell does john "gualt"'s comment have to do with a murdered policeman? some conservatives seem to have OCD when it comes to Obama.— brendancalling
- Hey, John Gualt, did you ever put on the uniform of the US, raise your right hand and swear to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic? Thought not!— philasportsfan
- Ladies and Gentilmen...let's review the crime problem in Killadelphia over just the last year...K? Let's look at Gov. Rendell, the State Parole Board, The Mayor, City Council, State Attorney General and remember the following small, partial list of State Parole Offenders who made the papers.... Besides Murchison and Wilson (The PIAZZA MURDERS) and Porter, Evans (Murderers), let's add Carrisquillo (Rapist), Shaw (Frankford Rapist), don't forget Burgess (Serial Killer and Rapist); Giddings, Cain, Warner (COP KILLERS); Wilson, Norman, Magee, Lassister, Hill, Trinsey, Wise, Latham, Bryant and the 4 out of the 5 gunmen who just recently murdered "Piggy" the mother of 4 children (All are Shoot-Out Artists and again were under State Parole "Supervision"). Why were they on the street and kept on the street? Money...to save money. State Budget Monies (specifically) that were spent on "No Bid" and about 60 million on other "Inappropiate" Contracts that went to Campiagn Contributors and friends of Governor Rendell. Why are so few Parole Violators being sent back to prison for serious offenses and even kept on the street while they have new open court cases...like Carrisquillo? Why are there so few State Parole Field Agents in Killadelphia? Why are 2,000 State Inmates being released each month? MONEY. The Mayor, City Council, State Legislature, State's Attorney General were all told for 2 years now about this SCANDAL and they have done nothing to stop it. Studies...proposed legislation...it’s all more opium for the masses. Want to help? Encourage all the victims and surviving family members to sue the State. Ask our Mayor and City Council to sue the State and get our money back! Email Mike.Levy@usdoj.gov and ask him to investigate and prosecute "The Rendell Murders", he'll know what you are talking about 215-861-8200. The President's Comment Line = 1-202-456-1111. Remember State Parolees are responsible for our Murder and Crime Rates. Take action...make some calls.— John Law
- Psst...Ladies and gentilmen.... Take a peak at the book ON COMBAT by LTC. David Grossman and then check the number of "Gun Shot Victims" or numbers of "Ballistic Trauma/Gun Shot Survivors". What you'll discover is that more victims are being shot but medical procedures, "QuikClot", Ambulance response time and treatment, cell phone calls, etc. have also increased/improved survivability. The bottomline in the Inquirer series on Courts, Witness Intimidation, Bail and Guns = STATE PAROLEES (Currently over 9,000 in "Killadelphia") P.S. with Rendell releasing up to 2,000 State Prison Inmates per month and not sending them back for serious Parole Violations since 2003...we all better keep our cell phones and "QuikClot" handy!— John Law
- I agree with CleanupPhilly...we need a change in Governors, but NOT "CORRUPT CORBETT"! He's repeatedly betrayed sacred public trust and is NOT QUALIFIED to be our Attorney General...let alone Governor. The U.S. Attorney General should send "CORRUPT CORBETT" a "Target Letter".— John Law
- Psst...Folks, here's what’s going on. Pennsylvania's Parole Release Rate is an UNBELIEVABLE 55%! That's so far above the national average, it's "Stupid". Good news is, it was 67% for a long time. Since 2003, Parole Board Chairman McVey has been artifically controlling the Parole Failure Rate by NOT issuing arrest warrants for Parole Violators! No arrest warrant = no violation = supervision success = $39,000 saved in State Budget Funds per inmate, per year = SGT. Liczbinski's Murder = SGT.McDonald's Murder = The Piazza Murder's = the Frankford Rapist = all the other State Parolee Murders, Rapes, Shoot Outs, etc. = The Largest Open Air Prison in America and First in our Nation in COP Killings!. We have 1/6th the population of New York City, but 6 Times the crime...why? State Parolees. Over 9,000 Murderers, Drug Dealers, Rapists prowling, unsupervised since 2003. Folks...even if we fix the Courts, Bail, Witness Intimidation and Guns and the DA’s Office...if we don't stop "The Rendell Murders"...we "ain't fix'n not'n"! See you at the bottom of the Fox Hole! Oh, and would the last citizen leaving "Killadelphia", please turn out the lights :-)— John Law
- Wouldn't it be nice to have more lighting in our high crime areas, like we have in center city. Maybe that would help to deter criminal activity. If the 4500 block of Marshall street was lit up like 19th and Walnut maybe those two thugs would have thought twice about commiting this hanus act. Life is Precious— Life is Precious
Dana DiFilippo has covered murder, mayhem and miscellany at the Daily News since 2000. She grew up in Delaware County and studied journalism and photography at Penn State University. E-mail tips to difilid@phillynews.com.
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Stephanie Farr has been reporting for the Daily News since 2007, covering everything from gay porn stars who entered the burglary business to moon trees, skinheads, murders and naked bike rides. She covers crime, both in the city and suburbs, and keeps clippings of bizarre Associated Press articles. Her favorite this year was the story about the drunk in Punxsutawney who gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dead opossum. E-mail tips to farrs@phillynews.com.
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Phillip Lucas joined the Daily News crime team in 2011. He grew up on the mean streets of Seattle and studied journalism and psychology at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Before landing in the City of Brotherly Love, Phillip was a reporter for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del. Email tips to lucasp@phillynews.com.
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Morgan Zalot is the newest crime reporter at the Daily News, starting in 2011 after interning at the paper twice as a Temple University journalism student. In her past stints at the DN, she covered just about everything, from drunken Phillies fans to a barber shop in a high school to a grisly murder-suicide. She’s a born-and-raised Philly girl who grew up in the Northeast. E-mail tips to zalotm@philly.com.
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