Ballistic Vest Saves Philadelphia Police Officer from Shot to Chest

Police have identified the Philadelphia man they say shot a police officer in the hand and chest in North Philadelphia on Tuesday night before fleeing and fatally shooting himself, authorities said.

Brandon Williams, 29, was stopped by two officers who tried to conduct a traffic stop near 23rd Street and Lehigh Avenue just before 9 p.m., but he sped away, police said. Williams then crashed his vehicle into a parked car in the area of 23rd and Clearfield Streets and got out and took off on foot, police said.

Two highway patrol officers later spotted Williams at 23rd Street and Indiana Avenue, where he fired multiple shots at them as they were getting out of their vehicle, striking one in the right hand and in the chest, police said. The bullet that struck the officer in the chest hit his ballistic vest, sparing him injury, they said.

Williams ran to 23rd and Cambria Streets, where he fired at responding officers, striking two vehicles, police said.

Police later found Williams on the 2900 block of North 23rd Street with what they believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the left side of his head. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police recovered Williams' weapon, a Glock model 17.

The injured officer, a 38-year-old man who has worked for the department for about a decade and has a 1-year-old child, was also taken to Temple Hospital, where he was treated before being released.

"Tonight, we are grateful that this was not worse, and we want to thank our great city for keeping our officers and their families in your prayers," Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said in a social media post Tuesday night.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who also was at the hospital, offered words of gratitude and relief that the officer was not more gravely injured and thanked police officers for their service.

Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.

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