Family says man who hit four cops with car before being shot had seizure

The man who hit four 35th district police officers with his car before being shot in the chest was experiencing a seizure, the family is now claiming.

“The family wishes to respond tostatements made by city and police officials today wherein itwasalleged that Mr. Keitt used his vehicle as a weapon against policeofficers,” attorney Brian Mildenberg, who was retained by the family, said in a statement.

“The family does not believe that Mr. Keittconsciously hit the officers or the other vehicles but believe that hewas in a state of seizure and them extreme disorientation associatedwith seizure.”

Rudolph “Blue” Keit Jr., 47, remains in critical condition with a chest wound.

Police say they were called at 2:16 p.m. today to 9th and Olney Avenue for reports of acar crashed into a wall.

The driver backed up, hit an officer and a fire truck, struck two more officers, continued driving, and was shot in the chest while driving into the fourth officer near Stenton and Ogontz streets, fled and was caught on the 1900 block of Colonial Street, they said.

Two officers discharged at the driver to stop him from using his vehicle “as a weapon,” a police spokeswoman said.

But according to Mildenberg, a family friend witnessed the seizure and was seeking assistance when the scene spiraled out of control.

“There was a family friend in the vehicle with Mr. Keitt whowitnessed the initial seizure. According to her, Mr. Keitt’s eyes werein the back of his head and he was involuntarily twitching, having amajor seizure, and began to drive erratically and not respond to herverbally. They had just finished getting sandwiches” the statement says.

“She exited thevehicle after it hit the first wall and sought assistance. She believesthat even when Mr. Keitt came out of the immediate seizure, he was notcoherent or acting consciously. The family believes that no criminalactivity occurred today, but that the entire incident was due to hismedical condition.”

Keit remains in critical condition at Albert Einstein Medical Center.

The four officers he struck with his vehicle were all in stable condition after being struck and were eleased from Einstein on Tuesday night, police said.