Police ID man killed after pointing gun at officers

Police have identified the 30-year-old man who was shot and killed Tuesday night after pointing an assault pistol at officers in North Philadelphia.

Ameen Davis, of the 2200 block of West Thompson Street, was shot once in the head by police after aiming a 9mm Intratec AB-10 with an extended clip - commonly known as a Tec-9 - at two 22d District patrol officers, police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers said.

The encounter unfolded around 11:40 p.m., Evers said, when police received 911 calls about a man shooting a gun in the area of the 1900 block of 27th Street.

A witness told responding officers the man was firing his gun behind a house on Berks Street, Evers said. Police confronted Davis there.

"He points the weapon towards the officers," Evers said. "They tell him several times to drop it."

One officer, whose identity has not been released, fired twice, Evers said.

Davis fell, clutching his weapon, which had 23 rounds in the clip and one in the chamber, Evers said.

He did not fire at police, but investigators recovered five cartridge cases near his body that had been fired from his weapon, police said.

Police are investigating whether Davis was involved in a shootout - and possibly wounded - before his confrontation with police, Evers said.

Davis had been arrested more than a half-dozen times since 2002 for offenses including drug possession, theft, and burglary. According to court records, he was sentenced to 18 months after pleading guilty in 2009 to retail theft.

As is standard, the officer who fired the fatal shot has been put on modified duty while Internal Affairs and the Homicide Unit investigate.