Fugitive Shoots Philadelphia Police Officer Multiple Times During Traffic Stop

Philadelphia, PA – A Philadelphia police officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop on Wednesday afternoon.

The attack occurred in the 200-block of North 60th Street at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 8, WPVI reported.

Investigators said 32-year-old Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) Officer Giovanni Maysonet and his 28-year-old partner, Officer Mychal Couch, stopped a silver Lexus and were conducting an investigation when a passenger exited the car and “turned away from Officer Maysonet.”

Officer Maysonet responded by grabbing him around his midsection with both hands to keep him from fleeing, according to police.

Investigators said that’s when the suspect opened fire on Officer Maysonet, hitting him two times, WPVI reported.

Bodycam footage revealed the gunman shot the officer with a gun that was concealed inside the hoodie he was wearing.

“He actually shot this police officer with the gun in his hooded sweatshirt in the pocket,” Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore later told WCAU. “The gun is never visible and you see a flash. So, Officer Maysonet is lucky to be alive.”

Police said one round entered the officer’s stomach and exited his back, according to WPVI.

A second round struck his chest, but was blocked by his ballistic vest, WPVI reported.

Officer Maysonet fell backwards after he was shot, landing on the back end of the suspect vehicle before falling onto the ground, police said.

Officer Couch returned fire, but the gunman was not hit as he fled the scene, WPVI reported.

Officer Maysonet was quickly loaded into a patrol car by his partner, who then rushed him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

“I think I’m shot twice,” Officer Maysonet said over the police radio in the wake of the attack, according to WCAU. “Tell my family I love them if I don’t make it.”

The wounded hero was also able to send out a description of the gunman.

Philadelphia Police have identified the officer shot in West Philly Wednesday as 32-year-old Giovanni Maysonet, a 5-year-veteran of the department. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/l7TwMzAyXc

— Brian Sheehan (@BSheehanTV) February 9, 2023

Pescatore commended Officer Couch for keeping an amazingly calm demeanor as he rushed his partner to the hospital, WCAU reported.

“Officer Maysonet was calling his family from the car, talking about his children,” the assistant district attorney said, holding back tears. “So, it was quite emotional. But Officer Couch got him to that hospital within minutes. And that’s a testament to him and his training that kicked in.”

Officer Maysonet arrived at the hospital in critical condition and was taken into emergency surgery, WPVI reported.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene in the wake of the shooting but was tracked down by police a short while later, according to WCAU.

A SWAT team surrounded a residence in the area of Edgewood Street and Race Street and took at least four people into custody.

Another suspect, 45-year-old Eric Haynes, was found sitting behind the wheel of a parked car located in an alley in the 6800-block of Guyer Avenue later the same night, WPVI reported.

Haynes was arrested without incident.

Police said they believe he is the man who shot Officer Maysonet.

On Feb. 8th, 2023, at 8:26 P.M., Eric Haynes, 45, of Spring Valley Rd., Darby PA, was arrested and charged w/ attempted murder in reference to the shooting of an on duty Philadelphia Police Officer during a traffic stop that day. pic.twitter.com/KkmmT3SXD1

— Mensah M. Dean (@MensahDean) February 10, 2023

Police said they recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic firearm lying on the driveway near the vehicle Haynes was sitting in at the time of his arrest, WPVI reported.

Haynes has since been charged with attempted murder, assault of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime, violation of firearms act former convict, and violation of firearms act no license, as well as other related offenses.

His bond was set at $10 million, according to CBS News.

Haynes also had a valid warrant for his arrest out of Delaware County for allegedly resisting arrest during a separate incident, according to WCAU.

Police identified the driver of the vehicle involved in the initial traffic stop as Ernest Reed, who also uses the alias of Raymond Williams, WPVI reported.

Reed was out on parole at the time of the attack, according to WCAU.

He has since been charged with obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of an instrument of crime.

Investigators determined a female passenger who was inside the suspect vehicle at the time of the shooting was an innocent bystander and she will not be charged, according to WCAU.

Officer Maysonet’s condition was upgraded to stable after he underwent surgery on Wednesday night, WPVI reported.

“There’s absolutely relief that we’re not reporting on an officer death but it doesn’t take away the anger that I feel. The frustration that we all feel,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told the news outlet.

“I think we tend to forget that after the surgeries, after the shootings, there’s still trauma there,” Commissioner Outlaw added. “There’s still healing. There’s still additional surgeries.”

She said Officer Maysonet’s family was with him at the hospital on Wednesday, WCAU reported.

Dozens of law enforcement officers stood by outside the hospital well into the night.

Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 spokesperson Captain John Hoyt praised the community for helping investigators identify the suspects responsible for the attack.

“I’ve gotten multiple reports that after the officer was shot, almost immediately, the community was part of that solution that came through to identify who the shooter was, and apprehend him within hours,” Capt. Hoyt told WPVI.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said the community is indebted to the law enforcement officers who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving.

“It’s just a very dangerous and difficult job done by very brave people. And they go out every day to try to keep us safe and put lives in harm’s way and their health in harm’s way and we can’t really repay them for doing that kind of work,” Kenney said. “Our prayers are with the officer and all our officers to make sure that he recovers and they stay safe.”