District Attorney Krasner Statement on Shooting of Philadelphia Police Lieutenant
CONTACT: Jane Roh, 215–686–8711, Jane.Roh@phila.gov
PHILADELPHIA (May 29, 2020) — District Attorney Larry Krasner on Friday released the following statement on the shooting of Philadelphia Police Lieutenant Robert Friel in South Philadelphia:
“I am incredibly grateful for the bravery shown by Lieutenant Friel and other Philadelphia Police officers who responded to this scene and put their lives on the line for our city. This active investigation is in a very preliminary stage, but what I can say at this time is that this was a volatile situation that could have had a much more catastrophic outcome. Lieutenant Friel’s injuries are extremely serious. My heart goes out to him and his family for their long road to healing ahead.
“This morning I responded to the scene with my chief of Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings, Assistant District Attorney Anthony Voci, as well as DA detectives to support the Philadelphia Police investigation of this incident. Based on what we were able to learn from video and initial forensic evidence, I fully expect to bring criminal charges against the man responsible for the shooting of Lieutenant Friel.
“We will release additional information about this incident and about criminal charges at the appropriate time. Over the past 24 hours alone, there have been several shootings in different parts of the city, some fatal. This is a frequency of violence that no other wealthy nation tolerates, because they do not have the deep poverty and easy availability of firearms that we do in this country. Many people in very powerful offices claim to abhor violence, but they are awfully silent when it comes to the violence of poverty and the tyranny of the gun lobby. As a city, a commonwealth, and a nation, we simply must do better.”
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is the largest prosecutor’s office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves the more than 1.5 million citizens of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecution of approximately 40,000 criminal cases annually.
