Gunman Dead After Shooting SEPTA Officer, 2 Others In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — A man apparently took his own life after authorities said he shot three people, including a SEPTA Transit Officer, Wednesday night in the city's Frankford section.

The incident began at about 7 p.m. when Philadelphia Police officers heard gunshots near the Arrott Transportation Center, according to Philadelphia Police.

Police saw a man with a gun run into a building on the 4700 block of Leiper Street, where he barricaded himself inside, police said.

Philadelphia and SEPTA police exchanged gunfire with the man, and eventually an officer was pinned down.

That led a 28-year-old SEPTA officer who is also a SWAT member armed with an assault weapon to rush forward to help the officer, according to police.

In doing so, the SEPTA officer was shot in the abdomen, police said.

He was taken to a hospital and is now in stable but critical condition.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with this brave SEPTA officer who sustained this injury," Philadelphia Police Sgt. Eric Gripp said.

SWAT units showed up and surrounded the building, eventually.

Gripp said the gunman had the advantage in the situation and that it could have been worse than it was.

Police were able to see the man in the building's second floor, presumable dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Two women, 42 and 57, were also shot in the hip and are in stable condition, police said.