FBI treating shooting ambush of officer as terrorist attack
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The FBI says it’s investigating the ambush shooting of a Philadelphia policeman as a terrorist attack.
FBI Director James Comey (KOH’-mee) spoke briefly about the investigation Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
Police say Yeadon resident Edward Archer told them he was acting in the name of Islam when he opened fire on Officer Jesse Hartnett’s marked cruiser on Jan. 7 at a Philadelphia intersection. The officer was wounded.
Archer is charged with attempted murder but hasn’t entered a plea. His mother says he had been hearing voices and felt targeted by police.
Police say Archer pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Comey says the Islamic State has been “crowd-sourcing terrorism.” He says it uses social media to encourage violence and its message “tends to resonate with troubled souls.”
An investigation into whether Archer had terror connections continues.
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