Man charged after officer hurt when firearm discharged in North Philly

A 26-year-old man has been charged, officials said Tuesday, for his suspected involvement in a shooting that left a Highway Patrol officer injured on Monday.

According to police, 26-year-old Rashid Walker has been charged with weapons violations after he was found with a firearm during a vehicle stop along the 2400 block of North 17th Street in North Philadelphia at about 7:40 p.m. on Monday night.

At that time, officials said, a firearm was found on Walker when a vehicle that he was a passenger in was involved in a traffic stop.

The firearm, officials said, was discovered when Walker was pat down during that traffic stop.

Police said just as an officer felt a handgun inside Walker’s jacket pocket, the firearm discharged, striking the officer in the right leg.

The officer was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where, police said, he was listed in stable condition on Tuesday afternoon.

Walker, officials said, was taken into custody and the scene and the firearm was recovered at that time.

An investigation is still ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the firearm discharge, officials said.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.