Police Shooting in Kensington: Suspect Arrested, Charges FiledPolice Shooting in Kensington: Suspect Arrested, Charges Filed According to law enforcement sources, the man responsible for shooting a police officer in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood was identified as 36-year-old Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez. The incident occurred last weekend when officers stopped Vazquez’s car for having a temporary license plate and lacking proper registration. Vazquez, who also lacked a driver’s license, called his sister to the scene to produce her license in an attempt to prevent the car from being towed. His girlfriend also arrived and joined the attempt to persuade the officers. During a final search of Vazquez’s vehicle before towing it, officers discovered a gun holster near the driver’s seat. As they approached Vazquez to question him about the weapon, he fled. He reportedly turned and fired at the officers from a gun in his waistband, striking one in the neck. Vazquez then ran to a nearby home, threatened a resident on the porch, and attempted to barricade himself in a bedroom. Police took him into custody that evening, and he allegedly admitted to shooting at the officers to avoid jail. The injured officer, a 31-year-old with six years of experience, was placed on life support and is fighting for his life. Vazquez has been indicted on charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault of an officer, illegal possession of a weapon, evading arrest, burglary, and kidnapping. His bail was set at $12.5 million. This incident is one of at least eight shootings involving police officers in the past eight months in Philadelphia. Despite a decrease in shootings citywide, violence against officers remains a concern.
The man who authorities say shot a police officer in Philadelphia’s Kensington opened fire last weekend after officers stopped his car because it had a temporary license plate and lacked proper registration, law enforcement sources said.
Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez, 36, also did not have a driver’s license, the sources said, so officers called a tow truck to remove his Toyota sedan.
Vazquez, meanwhile, called his sister, who drove to the scene to show officers her driver’s license in an attempt to prevent the car from being towed. Vazquez’s girlfriend, who was driving a car behind him, also arrived and tried to persuade officers to allow them to keep the car, sources said.
But when officers searched Vazquez’s car one last time before having it lifted onto a truck bed, one of them discovered a gun holster near the driver’s seat, the sources said. And as the officers prepared to confront Vazquez with the weapon, the sources said, he started running.
Within seconds, they said, Vazquez turned and began shooting from a gun he carried in his waistband, hitting one of the officers in the neck. Vazquez then ran to a nearby home and threatened at gunpoint a resident sitting on the porch, then tried to barricade himself in a bedroom.
Police took Vazquez into custody Saturday evening, the sources said, and he later admitted to shooting at the officers because he did not want to go to jail.
These details, provided by sources who asked not to be identified to discuss an ongoing investigation, provide new clarity on an incident that left the officer hospitalized and seriously injured. Police have not yet identified the officer — a 31-year-old and six-year veteran of the department — but Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said Saturday he was on life support and “fighting for his life.”
Vazquez, meanwhile, was indicted early Monday on charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault of an officer, illegal possession of a weapon, evading arrest, burglary and kidnapping. He remained in jail on $12.5 million bail, court records show.
The car stop happened Saturday around 7:30 p.m. on the 3500 block of F Street, Chief Kevin Bethel said. He said the wounded officer’s partner fired back after Vazquez started shooting, and responding officers arrested Vazquez at the house where he had tried to hide, on the 800 block of E. Schiller Street.
The injured officer is one of at least eight officers shot in the city in the past eight months. That violence against officers has occurred even as shootings across the city have dropped significantly through early 2024.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Staff writer Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.
