Shooting of officer is W. Phila. man's 15th arrest
In just 23 years of life, Scott Griffin has racked up 14 arrests, police said, but the case he's sitting in prison on may be his most serious yet.
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In just 23 years of life, Scott Griffin has racked up 14 arrests, police said, but the case he's sitting in prison on may be his most serious yet.
Griffin has been charged with attempted murder, robbery, and related offenses, accused of shooting Officer James McCullough in a leg Sunday when McCullough, 24, intervened in a carjacking by Griffin and another man, police said.
Acting on a tip, narcotics officers arrested Griffin at 1 p.m. Monday in the 1200 block of Alden Street in West Philadelphia, Homicide Capt. James Clark said.
Griffin, of the 200 block of Vogdes Street in West Philadelphia, allegedly had a gun when he was arrested that may have been used to shoot McCullough, but ballistics testing is required for confirmation, Clark said.
McCullough, a two-year veteran of the department, was listed in stable condition Monday at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
"The officer did an absolutely outstanding job," Clark said. "It obviously could have been a lot worse and we're very happy it was not a much more serious injury to the officer."
According to police, around 8:50 p.m. Sunday, McCullough and his partner were flagged down at Salford and Market Streets by a woman who told them that two men were trying to steal her car.
When the officers approached, both men tried to flee, police said. McCullough grabbed Griffin, and the two wrestled before Griffin escaped, police said. As he fled, Griffin turned and shot McCullough once in a leg, Clark said. McCullough returned fire but did not hit Griffin, police said.
The second suspect, Samir Coyett, 20, was nabbed nearby and held for police by a group of people, one of whom he had robbed earlier in the night, Clark said. He faces charges of attempted murder, robbery, and related offenses.
According to online court records, Griffin was imprisoned as recently as March 31.
A gun case against him was dismissed in Common Pleas Court for lack of evidence last Tuesday, but the District Attorney's Office refiled the charges the next day, court records show.
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