Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery that ended in a shooting before the suspected gunman was struck by a vehicle on Sunday afternoon
According to officials, police responded to the winding incident just after 1 p.m. on Sunday after learning a man was struck I-95 northbound in the area of the Walt Whitman Bridge.
Investigators said the man was struck after he was involved in a robbery and shooting.
The incident began, officials said, when two people who knew each other met outside at Cheerleader’s Lounge, along the 2700 block of S. Front St. in order to settle a debt.
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During this meeting, officials said, the suspect, identified by police as a 42-year-old man, entered the other man’s car and immediately attempted to rob him at gunpoint.
In that vehicle, investigators noted there was a woman inside the car with the victim.
Once the suspect got into the victim's vehicle, he ordered the victim to drive onto I-95.
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However, once on the highway, the victim pulled over onto the shoulder and got out of the car and ran off, according to the police.
The suspected gunman, officials said, then exited the car and attempted to get into the driver’s seat but the doors were locked.
The suspect then went to the passenger side and fired five shots into the front passenger window, police said, but was not able to regain entry to the car.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
After the shooting, officials said, the suspected gunman then began to run westbound across four lanes of I-95 where they were then hit by a silver Hyundai Elantra sedan which caused the man to hit the front windshield and then propel into the air.
After being struck by the car, the suspect suffered injuries to their head, sustained a broken foot and had other wounds, according to police.
He was transported to the hospital and placed in very critical condition, police said.
Neither the driver of that car nor the victims of the robbery and shooting were injured, according to police.
Police were able to recover the gun found on the suspect, officials said.
The Pennsylvania State Police is requesting anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact the Troop K – Philadelphia, Criminal Investigation Unit at 215-452-5216.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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