“I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State and that’s why I did what I did”. Now local police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working to determine if Archer’s attack was part of a larger group targeting officers.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke to Valerie Holliday, Archer’s mother, who said that her son has been a Muslim for some time.
Archer confessed to committing the shooting “in the name of Islam”, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said during a news conference Friday. Officials said they were trying to figure out how Archer got the weapon and whether it passed through other people’s hands since the theft. The next year, he went to Egypt for reasons that are unclear and spent several months there.
Police said the incident appeared unrelated to Hartnett’s shooting but was “an example of the type of individuals that our officers face daily when performing their duties as Philadelphia police officers”.
In this footage, the alleged shooter, identified by authorities as 30-year-old Edward Archer, shoots at Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett while the cop was in his auto in what police say was an “attempted assassination”.
Police continued to investigate the anonymous tip on Sunday and said they planned to re-interview the tipster.
“There was a terrorist attack yesterday, in the city of Philadelphia”.
Bleeding profusely, the officer nevertheless chased the gunman down the street and fired back, hitting him in the buttocks. When asked if the robe was considered Muslim garb, Ross said he didn’t know and didn’t think it mattered.
Still, the officer demonstrated his “valor and courage” by stepping out of his auto as the gunman retreated and opening fire, according to Ross. In one photo, the suspect is standing next to the vehicle with his arm through the lowered driver’s side window, close enough to be shooting at point-blank range.
Over the police radio, officers heard Hartnett’s frantic voice as he called for help: “Shots fired!”
Madam Natalie King, 68, who lives across the street from Archer, said that based on what she had seen of him, she considered mental illness a more likely explanation than religious extremism. He said Archer had attended the West Philadelphia mosque, known as Masjid Mujahideen, for at least five years.
“This could have easily been a police funeral”, said Ross. Archer was then taken into custody.
Clark said Archer repeatedly professed his allegiance to the Islamic State in his confession.
Police said Saturday Archer was treated for his wound and released from the hospital.
“I am disgusted and deeply saddened by the horrific attack”, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement released Sunday.
Abdulsalaam said Archer called her “Aunty”, or “Sister Jannah”, and used to check on her or occasionally buy her groceries.
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“He’s been acting kind of odd lately”. Police said they were astonished he survived.
