Police ID two officers in shooting; union says that endangers their families

Philadelphia police on Friday identified two officers who shot and critically wounded a man who was having a seizure in May, the first time under a new policy that the department has identified officers involved in a shooting.

The officers, Michael Minor and Robert Hoppe, fired at Rudolph Keitt after he led police on a chase beginning in Northwest Philadelphia and struck four officers with his car, police said. Keitt has since been declared mentally incompetent, and his attorney said he suffers from schizophrenia.

They were named just two days after the department announced the policy to release the names of officers in police-involved shootings.

John McNesby, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge, criticized releasing their names and said the officers will now have to worry about being targeted because they were involved in shootings. This week, the FOP filed an unfair labor practice charge against the policy's not being negotiated with the union.

"Every day, we have to watch over our backs when we got to work," he said. "Now we have to worry about our family."

Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said Friday that Minor and Hoppe had been told that their names would be released and that he had been assured there were no threats against them or their families.

Hoppe, a nine-year veteran of the department, and Minor, an eight-year veteran, both received awards from the FOP in December. The two officers have been on administrative duty pending the outcome of a preliminary investigation into the shooting. The department declined to give the officers' ages.

Keitt, who suffered a critical gunshot wound to the chest but survived, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other crimes in the May 12 incident. Keitt was declared mentally incompetent to understand his charges last month and his attorney plans to ask prosecutors to drop the charges against him.

Minor received his FOP award in December for bravery, for a struggle at a murder scene with a man charged with shooting his mother in the head.

In 2010, Minor was charged with assaulting his girlfriend at their home in Upper Darby. He was placed on paid administrative duty.

Hoppe was one of dozens of officers honored by the FOP in December for lifesaving.

Neither Hoppe nor Minor could be reached Friday.

Keitt has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and epilepsy, said his attorney, Brian Mildenberg.

"It's still not clear why any shots were taken," Mildenberg said Friday.

Keitt is in a psychiatric treatment unit in prison, Mildenberg said. The District Attorney's Office has said prosecutors would determine their next move at a status hearing scheduled for Aug. 11.

610-313-8116@Lmccrystal

Contributing to this article were Inquirer staff writers Jonathan Lai, Mike Newall, and Joseph A. Slobodzian.