Police recapture suspect who escaped, fled into West Philly neighborhood

Police captured a shooting suspect who they say escaped custody and fled through a West Philadelphia neighborhood.

Police said the 26-year-old man — who they have not yet identified — was involved in a shooting Tuesday morning. Officials said that he had been treated for an injury at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and was being transported to a waiting police wagon when he fled from the officers there around 10:20 a.m.

“At some point while he was being transferred from the ER into the police wagon, he managed to escape,” Philadelphia Police Inspector Kpana Massaquoi said.

Police blocked roads and entered yards and properties in West Philadelphia’s Powelton Village neighborhood along the 3800 block of Baring Street as they searched for the man. Police dogs were also involved in the search.

“When I came through the front door after I seen him in the back,” John Wilson, a neighbor, told NBC10. “I seen a lot of policemen in the front and they had their guns drawn.”

Kevin Walker, who was working in the area, told NBC10 he spoke with the escapee.

“He was like, ‘Can you help me get one of my buddies’ or whatever,” Walker said. “And we just sat there kind of like frozen and then all the cops swarmed them and got them in the backyard basically.”

NBC10 was there around 1:15 p.m. when the man was recaptured after police found him in a shed in the backyard of a home.

“I’m just shocked,” Brandon Malinski, another witness, told NBC10. “I’ve never seen anything like this before and to be right in the middle of it is insane.”

Police have not yet released details on the initial shooting the man was allegedly involved in or the charges he’s facing.

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

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