Officers shot an 18-year-old man Thursday night in North Philadelphia after he pointed a gun at them and fired at least one bullet in their direction, according to a police account of the incident released Thursday.
Naquan Burns, of North Philadelphia, eventually surrendered, authorities said, and he was taken to Temple University Hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries.
He was carrying a self-assembled, unserialized firearm, also known as a ‘ghost gun,’ at the time of the shooting, authorities said.
Two officers approached Burns just before 8:45 p.m. in Hunting Park near 9th Street and Hunting Park Avenue and asked if he had a gun because they noticed a bulge near his waistband, according to the police account.
Authorities said patrols have been increased in the area around the park due to a recent spike in gunpoint robberies.
Burns allegedly said it was a cellphone, though the officers were suspicious because he had a cellphone in his hand.
When one of the officers got out of the marked police car, Burns pulled out a gun and pointed it at him, authorities said. Both officers fired shots toward Burns, but they missed, and a chase ensued through the park to the 1300 block of Jerome Street.
Burns and the officers took cover behind parked cars, and police ordered him to drop his weapon multiple times, according to the account. He got up from behind the cars and fired one shot, police said.
One of the officers returned fire, hitting Burns in the right leg. He ran to the 1300 block of Colwyn Street and attempted to get into a house there before being arrested, according to police.
“I am thankful that no police officers or additional civilians were hurt during this incident, that a dangerous individual was placed into custody, and that another firearm — a ghost gun — was removed from our streets,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement.
Outlaw said the officers, as is normal procedure, have been placed on administrative leave pending a full investigation.
Court records indicate Burns was arraigned Saturday on two counts of aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm and related offenses. His bail was set at 10% of $500,000.
