The accused gunman involved in a shootout with police in North Philadephia is in custody. Maurice Hill, 36, known as Gruff on the streets of Philly, surrendered to police shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2019, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
During Hill’s arrest, police recovered an AK-47 assault rifle, other weapons and body armor.
On the afternoon of Aug. 14, six Philadelphia police officers were allegedly shot by Hill. Sgt. Eric Gripp, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Police Department’s Public Affairs Unit, posted updates on the department’s Twitter page over several hours as the ordeal unfolded. Gripp described the shooting as “active and ongoing” and urged everyone, including media helicopters, to avoid the area.
Gripp said police attempted to communicate with the suspect, who continued firing at them over the course of several hours. “Officers are attempting to communicate with the shooter, imploring him to surrender and avoid further injuries,” he wrote.
According to media accounts, the shooting began around 4:30 p.m. near on 3700 block of 15th Street in the Nicetown-Tioga section in North Philadelphia. NBC News reported that a police spokesperson said the incident began when an officer attempted to serve a drug warrant at the home where the gunman was holed up.
According to the New York Times, a large number of officers and SWAT team members converged on the area, and Temple University’s Health Sciences Center Campus was locked down for a short time.
The shooter continued firing at officers at different times during the standoff, as police directed residents to stay away from the area.
In addition to those officers who were shot, several other cops were injured and transported to area hospitals, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Hill will likely be charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault along with other pending charges.
