Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department shot and killed a 75-year-old man on a porch shooting a handgun at them. According to the Philadelphia Police Department, two officers from the 18th District were dispatched at approximately 7:14 a.m. to the 5400 block of Webster Street in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood following a 911 call reporting a person with a weapon and a family being held hostage. Investigators later determined the call originated from a phone registered to the man who would be shot.
When the officers arrived, they found Anthony McKinley, 75, standing on the front porch of the home holding a Taurus revolver, according to Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore. As one officer approached, McKinley raised the firearm toward the officer. The officers took cover and issued repeated commands to drop the weapon, according to Vanore.
McKinley did not comply and fired one shot.
An offIcer fired a single shot, striking the suspect once. Officers then secured the firearm and rendered aid, transporting McKinley to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:33 a.m., police said. No officers or civilians were injured in the incident, Vanore confirmed.
No hostages were found at the scene, according to CBS Philadelphia, which cited police sources. Whether any family members were present in the home at the time of the shooting was not confirmed by authorities as of the time of this report.
Neighbors described McKinley as a man who had lived on the block for decades and was well-regarded in the community. Crystal Harris, a neighbor who has lived on the block for 33 years, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that McKinley was polite and kind, the type of neighbor who helped others without being asked. Another neighbor, Shihee Hatchett, told the Inquirer that McKinley had been a steady presence in the community since Hatchett was a child in 1978, teaching young men trades and helping them stay out of trouble.
At least one neighbor described McKinley’s death as unjustifiable. McKinley’s family members declined to comment, the Inquirer reported.
Field Lessons are offered strictly as general, industry-standard reminders drawn from common safety practices and typical policy considerations. They are not based on any inside knowledge of this specific incident, do not presume what actions were taken, and should not be interpreted as commentary on the decisions made at the scene.
- When a call involves a weapon and a possible hostage, officers should resist the pull to move quickly toward a porch or doorway before establishing a position of cover. The vehicle itself is often the first available asset for a deliberate, covered approach.
- A 911 call originating from the subject’s own phone is a behavioral indicator worth noting during response. Subjects who call on themselves are often in a state of acute distress, crisis, or altered thinking. This changes the threat calculus and should inform the mindset officers bring to the scene.
- Our research indicates that the type of call was the largest predictor of violence. Combine those high probability calls with non-compliance, and attacks occurred in 94% of all officer-involved shootings. Both occurred in this incident, and without a citizen in immediate danger, officers should avoid closing the distance with the suspect.
Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
