Man shot by Philly police declared mentally incompetent

The West Oak Lane man who was shot by police after he struck four police officers with his car was on Friday declared mentally incompetent to understand his charges, according to court documents.

Rudolph Keitt, 47 - who was charged with attempted murder after the May 12 incident - will be committed to a "Detention Forensic Science Unit" for 60 days to receive psychiatric treatment, said his lawyer, Brian Mildenberg.

Mildenberg said Keitt suffers from schizophrenia and epilepsy, and that he had been hearing voices and experiencing delusions and hallucinations.

He said he would call on prosecutors to drop the charges against his client.

He said Keitt and his family regret "any injuries or difficulties caused to police officers," but stressed "the entire incident" stemmed from Keitt's medical and psychiatric condition."

"There's no reason he should be locked up in jail," Mildenberg said.

Cameron Kline, a spokesman for the District Attorney's Office, said prosecutors would determine their next move at a status hearing scheduled for Aug. 11.

A police investigation into the shooting is still in progress.

Keitt led police on a chase in Northwest Philadelphia last month after he crashed his Chrysler sedan into a wall in Fern Rock.

A police officer who responded to the scene initially called for a medic over the radio: "He's having a crazy seizure."

When Keitt came to, with several officers surrounding the car, he struggled with police and then suddenly drove off, police have said. He hit three officers in the process. Officers pursued Keitt as he drove through Northwest Philadelphia, and then a police supervisor called off the chase.

Minutes later, officers attempted to approach Keitt at Ogontz and Stenton Avenues, according to a police source, but Keitt pulled away and struck two more police cars and another officer.

He was shot, police said, by the injured officer's partner, who believed Keitt was about to run over his colleague.