Gun battle preceded police involved shooting

Police found a street littered with bullet shell casings a block from where a police officer shot and wounded an 18-year-old gunman during a confrontation Tuesday night in North Philadelphia, authorities said this morning.

Monrell Stewart, who is recovering from three bullet wounds to the buttocks at Temple University Hospital, faces aggravated assault and weapons charges after allegedly pointing a .380-caliber pistol at two officers, prompting one of them to shoot him.

Police said two officers assigned to the Southwest Division Warrant Squad were performing surveillance on West Norris Street near North 25th Street about 7:50 p.m. when they heard gunshots and saw a man running in their direction.

The officers got out of their vehicle and confronted the man, who then pointed a semiautomatic handgun in their direction, police said.

One of the officers fired and hit Stewart, who lives on the 4200 block of North Hicks Street in the Nicetown section, police said.

Police went to the 1900 block of North 25th Street and found signs of a gun battle.

Lt. Ray Evers, a police spokesman, said investigators recovered found 16 shell casings from three different handguns - a 9mm, a .40 caliber, and a .380, the type carried by Stewart - at the scene.

As required in all shootings involving police, the officer will be assigned to desk duty while the incident is investigated.