Police: Man Shoots Officer During Struggle At South Philadelphia CVS

Dan Koob reports.

IT COMES IN TO US.ALSO THIS.HE STEPPED INTO HARM'S WAYTO LOOK OUT FOR ANOTHEROFFICER AND WOUND UP BEINGSERIOUSLY WOUNDED.A SOUTH PHILADELPHIA CVSSTORE TURNS INTO A CRIMESCENE.A POLICE OFFICER IS SHOT AFTERTRYING TO HELP OUT ANOTHEROFFICER.THE OFFICER IS EXPECTED TOSURVIVE.THIS IS "EYEWITNESS NEWS" AT6:00 AND WE ARE STREAMING LIVEON CBSN PHILLY.GOOD EVENING I'M UKEEWASHINGTON.TONIGHT WE'RE LEARNING MOREABOUT THE MAN WHO POLICE SAYSHOT THE OFFICER DURING THESTRUGGLE.HERE'S DAN KOOB.Reporter: LIEUTENANTROBERT FRIEL WAS LEAVING WORKFRIDAY WHEN HE SAW ANOTHERPOLICE OFFICER ENCOUNTER A MANKNOWN TO POLICE TO BE ARMEDAND DANGEROUS.AND THAT'S WHEN FRIEL JUMPEDINTO ACTION.IN THE WAKING HOURS FRIDAYMORNING A THIRD DISTRICTPOLICE OFFICER NOTICED A MANAT CVS ON THE 1400 BLOCK OFPASSYUNK AVENUE WHO HAD BEENREPORTED MISSING HOSTILE ANDSUICIDAL OVERNIGHT.LIEUTENANT ROBERT FRIEL WASJUST OFF DUTY WHEN HE SAW THEOFFICER AND HELPED CONFRONTTHE MAN INSIDE THE STORE.DURING THE STRUGGLE THEMALE DISCHARGED A 9-MILLIMETERSEMI AUTOMATIC FIREARMSTRIKING THE LIEUTENANT IN THELEFT LEG.Reporter: THE 50-YEAR-OLDSUSPECT WAS DETAINED AT THESCENE AND THE OTHER OFFICERINVOLVED WAS NOT HARMED.LIEUTENANT FRIEL WAS RUSHED TOJEFFERSON HOSPITAL WHEREPOLICE SAY HE UNDERWENTSURGERY FRIDAY MORNING AND HISINJURIES ARE CONSIDERED TO BENONLIFE-THREATENING.BUT POLICE SOURCES SAY HE WILLREQUIRE ADDITIONAL SURGERY.A 28 YEAR VETERAN OF THE FORCETHE 48-YEAR-OLD FRIEL HASTHREE CHILDREN.HE'S A COP THAT HAS ALWAYSBEEN VERY MUCH LAW AND ORDERCRIME FIGHTING COP AND HE WASCONCERNED ABOUT HIS FAMILY,MADE SURE WE PASSED ON AMESSAGE THAT HE'S DOING GOODAND THEY'LL SEE HIM AS SOON ASHE GETS OUT OF SURGERY.Reporter: FRIEL WAS NOTIN UNIFORM AT THE TIME OF THEARREST.HIS BROTHER JOSEPH WAS APHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICERKILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN1994.FRIEL IS BEING SALUTED FOR HISWORK BY THE MAYOR.I JUST WANT TO THANKLIEUTENANT FRIEL FOR HISCOURAGE AND BRAVERY.YOU'RE LEAVING WORK, YOU'REOFF DUTY, YOU GET GET IN YOURCAR AND DRIVE HOME AND HEDIDN'T DO THAT.HE STEPPED INTO HARM'S WAY.Reporter: DISTRICTATTORNEY LARRY KRASNERRELEASED A STATEMENT ON FRIDAYAFTERNOON SAYING HE FULLYEXPECTS TO BRING CRIMINAL