Tensions were high after a suspect was killed and a police officer was injured following a shootout in Chester. NBC10’s Randy Gyllenhaal has the details.
Chester's mayor urged residents in his city to be patient and show restraint on Sunday, a day after a police-involved shootout left an officer injured, a man dead and a second man wounded.
During a news conference Sunday morning, Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland praised the hospital that saved Police Capt. Alan Davis' life, offered prayers to the man injured in the shooting and asked that the community show restraint as authorities investigate the incident.
Davis was shot in the chest and arm. He was in stable condition on Sunday. Police have not identified the man who died in the shooting or the man who was wounded.
"If we go through the process, then the truth will be revealed," Kirkland said. "So we're asking the Chester community once again to practice restraint, practice patience and understand that once this is done ... the truth will come out."
The shootout began as a traffic stop when Chester Police responded to a report of a possibly stolen vehicle at Union and Parker streets just after 4 p.m. Saturday, officials said. When officers arrived, at least one person inside opened fire, according to authorities.
"When the officers tried to stop it they didn't cooperate and there ended up being shots fired from the car and then back at the car," said Chester Police Chief James Nolan.
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Captain Davis and the second suspect, a 19-year-old man, were taken to the Crozer-Chester Medical Center. Davis, a 26-year veteran of the police force, is currently in stable condition. Family members of the 19-year-old man who were outside the hospital told NBC10 he is stable as well. They also claimed the man is innocent and that police "got the wrong car."
A large crowd of community members gathered at the scene of the shooting Saturday evening. NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal reports a confrontation and fight occurred between police officers and some members of the crowd leading to pepper spray being used. Police told NBC10 the scuffle began when the crowd pushed up against the barrier as officials removed the man's body from the scene. Police detained two people during the scuffle and say they have the situation under control.
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Police continue to investigate the shooting. Residents told NBC10 they're concerned about transparency during the investigation in light of another deadly police-involved shooting in February.
"The question is back to the police," said Pastor Calvin Williams. "Who was at fault? Are ya'll gonna tell the truth? All we want is the truth. We the people of the city of Chester, we want the truth this time."
