Police: Officer fatally shoots gunman in back after struggle

Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting of an armed man authorities say ran away from an officer after a struggle.

According to police, the officer was transporting witnesses in an unrelated incident on Thursday night when he saw a man on a red motorcycle driving recklessly. The officer pulled the man over and approached him to question him, and noticed the man holding the front of his waistband.

Police said the officer patted the man down and felt a gun. According to a police statement, the officer then drew his gun and told the man not to touch his weapon. According to a police report, the two struggled and the man pulled the gun from his waistband. The officer pulled the trigger on his gun, but it did not initially go off.

When the officer fired again, he hit the man in the back and buttocks. He later died at a hospital.

Police Commissioner Richard Ross says “candidly speaking, part of the video shows that the male was running away from at least one of those shots.”