The male was driving toward the Operation Safe Streets police officer when the cop fired in self-defense, police say.
"There’s one less drug dealer on the streets tonight, thanks to our Philly’s finest and Operation Safe Streets."
Those were the words of a woman who lives a half-block from the scene of Tuesday’s police shooting of a drug suspect at Moore Street and Moyamensing Avenue.
Milo Fornwald, 20, from the 600 block of McKean Street, was critically wounded in the shooting, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detective Division.
The drama began around 4:30 p.m. when two Fourth District officers assigned to Operation Safe Streets were patrolling the 300 block of Moore, said Cpl. James Pauley of Police Public Affairs.
Officers Frederick Girardo and Robert Brady spotted a white Chevy Celebrity station wagon pulled over to the side of the street. The two people in the car appeared to be selling drugs to a female, according to police and a witness at the scene.
As the police cruiser approached the station wagon, the suspect struck the vehicle and then backed up and hit a SEPTA bus, Pauley said.
The passenger inside the Chevy jumped out and ran north on Moyamensing and then west on Morris, the corporal said.
A witness told the Review the female buyer also fled.
Fornwald then allegedly drove toward Girardo — who had by now gotten out of his cruiser — and attempted to run him over, said Pauley.
When the suspect ignored the officer’s demand to stop, Girardo fired two shots at Fornwald’s head and right shoulder, the corporal said.
Fornwald was rushed to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in critical condition, police said.
"If you try to run over a police officer, you get what you deserve," commented the woman from a half-block away, who did not want to give her name.
Police found small green plastic packets of what appeared to be narcotics at the scene, Pauley said.
As with all police shootings, Internal Affairs is investigating.
Arrest in fatal shooting
Homicide detectives have made an arrest in Friday’s fatal shooting of a 20-year-old woman from the 2300 block of Mountain Street, police said.
Sophia Grier was cut down by a bullet that police believe was intended for her boyfriend, said Capt. Charles Bloom of the Homicide Division.
The couple was walking past Al’s Katnip Café at 408 S. 54th St. in Southwest Philadelphia when a man began harassing them around 8 p.m., Bloom said. The offender allegedly started following the couple and continued taunting them, the captain said. When the victim’s boyfriend turned to confront the culprit, the male allegedly fired at him, said the captain.
Grier was shot in the back in the crossfire, Bloom said. She was pronounced dead at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania at 8:30 p.m.
The next day, investigators arrested Livingston Parris, 20, of the 300 block of South 43rd Street, and charged him with murder, aggravated assault and related offenses, the captain said.
Trio at large in drive-by
Three men in a Honda Accord opened fire on a man — and then drove off — as the victim was walking on the 2300 block of Snyder Avenue, police said.
The incident happened June 4 around 12:45 a.m., said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detective Division.
The victim, 48, was struck in the right arm and admitted to Graduate Hospital in stable condition, the sergeant said.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Fight leads to shooting
A 25-year-old man was shot in the left leg while arguing with a stranger, police said.
The victim told police he was crossing the 2900 block of Grays Ferry Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. last Thursday when the spat occurred, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives. Police do not know what spurred the incident.
During the argument, the culprit allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot the victim once in the left leg, Biello said. The victim was taken to HUP and listed in stable condition, the sergeant said.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Nabbed in mugging
Two teens were arrested Monday night after they allegedly tried to mug another teen on a subway platform, police said.
The 18-year-old victim was waiting for a train at 501 S. Broad St. when the culprits approached him at 8:40 p.m. and one of them asked to see his cell phone, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives. The victim showed his phone, but then put it away, at which point the offenders threatened to beat him up if he didn’t hand it over, the sergeant said.
The victim ran up the subway steps yelling for help, Biello said.
Third District police arrested Paul McCullough, 19, of the 2000 block of Morris Street, and Jerome Wilson, 18, of the 2000 block of Pierce Street, both of whom were still on the platform, Biello said.
McCullough was allegedly in possession of 10 packets of cocaine and faces narcotics charges, the sergeant said.
Both suspects have been charged with robbery, conspiracy, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and making terroristic threats, Biello said.
New town watch forming
South Philly has a new town watch group that covers Broad to Eighth streets and Snyder to Tasker. Organizer Russell Burke said the group has yet to be named. The first meeting will be held June 19 at 7 p.m. at Viking Mummers Club, 11th and McClellan streets (near Mifflin).
Art Potts of Operation Philadelphia Town Watch will train all volunteers interested in keeping an eye on their neighborhood.
Anyone interested in joining the group should call Potts at 215-686-1454. SPR
Cops crack down on scooters
They’re annoying, loud and dangerous, to say the least. And they’re also illegal if ridden on a Philadelphia street or sidewalk, said First Police District Lt. Lawrence Clifford.
On-street scooter riders violate at least five Pennsylvania vehicle codes, the lieutenant said. Any motorized device capable of transporting persons or property on a highway must be titled, inspected and insured.Also, those operating a vehicle must be licensed.
Those who choose to ride scooters — at least in the First District — can expect to have their two-wheelers confiscated, Clifford said.
But that’s not all.
Parents of the rider and will be required to come into the police district to pick up the scooter and receive information about the vehicle code, Clifford said.
"As we see the problem increase and the warnings ignored, we will be sending the scooters to the police impound lot where the Philadelphia Parking Authority governs the assessing of fees," Clifford said. "In the end, the fees and tickets will in many cases exceed the value of the scooter."
Local politicians also are concerned about the risk posed by and to scooter users. Councilman Frank DiCicco, along with Council President Anna Verna, introduced a resolution in City Council last Thursday calling on the police department, Philadelphia Parking Authority and Traffic Court to enforce motor-code provisions that regulate scooter use.
DiCicco stated he would move to hold public hearings and possibly introduce legislation to address the problem if it does not improve.
But it is not illegal to own a scooter and ride it on private property, as long as the operator has permission from the owner, Clifford said.
According to information supplied by the First District, in 1999, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 1,330 people were admitted to emergency rooms with scooter injuries. In 2000, the number jumped to 4,390. In the first nine months of 2001, nearly 3,000 injuries were reported.
An adult woman in the 24th Police District became the first scooter fatality in the city when she was struck by a car, Clifford said.
For more information about scooters, call First District Community Relations Officer Dante Inverso at 215-686-3010.
