Man steals ambulance, leads Philadelphia police on wild chase

PHILADELPHIA -- A man who stole an ambulance led police on a nearly 90-minute chase after getting shot three times while trying to hit an officer on Friday night in Philadelphia.

Authorities responded to the Roosevelt Inn located on the 7400 block of Roosevelt Boulevard for a domestic disturbance incident around 9 p.m.

When medics arrived, police say the man was shirtless and became combative. That's when he jumped into the ambulance and began driving toward the police officer.





"As the man got into the medic unit and began driving, he started driving the medic unit toward a police officer," said Philadelphia Police Department Staff Inspector Sekou Kinebrew.

Police say the officer opened fire roughly four times, striking the suspect in the leg twice, and once in the side. The officer was hit by the ambulance, but he suffered non-life threatening injuries.



The man led police on a nearly two-hour chase through Northeast Philadelphia.

"It varied in speed from around 10 miles an hour up to about 25 miles per hour during the majority of the of the male's attempt to flee," said Kinebrew.

Chopper 6 was over the scene as the suspect plowed through a gas station.



At one point during the chase, officers nearly arrested the suspect but he was able to get away.



A tow truck driver even got involved, at one point, trying to collide with the ambulance driver.



The chase ended around 10: 40 p.m. Action News was there as authorities took the man into custody.





Kinebrew says the suspect is currently in the hospital being treated for his gunshot wounds.

At least two police cars were damaged in the chase. In all, no serious injures were reported.

"During the course of him fleeing from police, we believe he struck two marked police vehicles. The officers in those vehicles we don't believe to be injured," said Kinebrew.

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