Police: Suspect says he shot Philly cop 'in the name of Islam'

Philadelphia Police say the man who ambushed and shot an officer multiple times late Thursday confessed that he committed the act in the name of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. (Jan. 8) AP

(Photo: Joseph Kaczmarek, AP)

 The suspect in the wounding of a Philadelphia police officer in an execution-style ambush told officers he carried out the attack "in the name of Islam," police said Friday.

Police Commissioner Richard Ross said the suspect, Edward Archer, 30, fired 13 shots from a semiautomatic pistol that hit Officer Jessie Hartnett, 33, and his car Thursday night. Hartnett returned fire, hitting the gunman at least three times. Archer was quickly taken into custody by other officers after fleeing the scene, police said.

Archer, who was wearing a long white robe over dark pants during the attack, "confessed to committing this cowardly act in the name of Islam. He said he believes that the police defend laws that are contrary to the teaching of the Koran," Ross said at a news conference Friday afternoon.

Police also told reporters Archer said he pledges allegiance to the Islamic State, follows Allah and that he was called upon by his faith to commit the shooting.

Hartnett, who was hit three times in his left arm, sustained "very serious injuries," Ross said. Earlier Friday, police said he was in stable condition.

Surveillance video, taken from a building or post behind the incident, shows the gunman running into the street and right up to the police car. He puts the gun directly into the driver-side window and fires at point-blank range. Ross said the weapon was a stolen police gun.

Mayor Jim Kenney, who also spoke to reporters Friday afternoon, played down the Islam connection.

"This is a criminal with a stolen gun who tried to kill one of our officers, " he said. "It has nothing to do with being a Muslim or following the Islamic faith."

A gun sits by a marker on Jan. 8, 2016, following a shooting of a police officer in Philadelphia. A (Photo: Joseph Kaczmarek, AP)

Archer's mother, Valerie Holliday, told the Philadelphia Inquirer her son suffered head injuries from playing football and in a moped accident. He has "been acting kind of strangely lately, talking to himself ... laughing and mumbling," she said.

During the attack Hartnett can be heard shouting on the police radio, “Shots fired! I’m shot! I’m bleeding heavily,” KYW-TV reported.

Police said the suspect flagged down the police car before opening fire.

“This is absolutely one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen,” Ross told reporters earlier Friday. “This guy tried to execute the police officer. The police officer had no idea he was coming.”

Kenney, who is in his first week as mayor of Philadelphia, said: “There are just too many guns on the streets, and I think our national government needs to do something about that.”