VIDEO: Philly Police Confront Armed Suspect, Let Him Fire The First Shots In Gunfight

Jose Gonzales fired two shots at officers before they were able to return fire.

Video Shows Jose Gonzales Shooting By Philadelphia PD

Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia police officers won a gunfight with armed suspect, Jose Gonzales, after the officers let the man fire the first shots. The shooting was captured on video (video below.)

The incident occurred Monday at around 4:40 PM, according to 6 ABC. Officers responded to a report of a man with a gun in the 2200 block of North Fairhill Street.

When the officers arrived, they found Jose Gonzales, armed with a gun, trying to get into a Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

The officers followed him around, stepping forward without cover, while repeatedly ordering him to drop his gun.

Finally, Gonzales had enough and opened fire on the officers. He was able to get two shots off before the officers were able to return fire.

The officers his Gonzales in the legs and torso, and he was transported to the hospital in critical condition. None of the officers were hit.

Investigators later determined that the Monte Carlo had been carjacked a couple of hours earlier by a suspect matching the description of Gonzales.

Jose Gonzales had just gotten out of jail a few days earlier. His criminal history includes kidnapping, assault, stalking, and drug charges.

“It just speaks to the dangers of police work, and sometimes what you see on the big city streets,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said. “People walking around with guns with no sense of responsibility whatsoever.”

If officers wait for a suspect to make a move to shoot, the suspect will always get a shot off by the time officers are able to recognize the movement and react. Despite this, officers frequently risk their lives by giving suspects additional opportunities to surrender, because police officers don’t want to shoot people.

These officers are lucky that the suspect missed.

Incidents like this are why shooting somebody who is holding a gun at their side and refusing to drop it is completely justified.

It’s easy to be critical of these officers for not shooting sooner, but they were the ones putting their lives on the line to try to save this suspect from death, and it was ultimately their decision to make.

You can see the video of the shooting below: