The Federal Bureau of Investigation is not currently looking for co-conspirators in the shooting of a Philadelphia police officer, with evidence gathered so far indicating the gunman acted alone, the FBI chief told reporters on Thursday (January 14).
FBI Director James Comey said reports that authorities were looking for three other suspects were false.
Philadelphia police said suspected gunman Edward Archer, 30, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group before allegedly opening fire on police officer Jesse Hartnett in his patrol car last week.
“We at the FBI level, through our Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating that attack as a terrorist attack. We are working hard to understand motives, understand direction, inspiration, whether there might be anybody else involved,” Comey said in videotaped comments broadcast by Philadelphia’s NBC 10 TV.
In the attack caught on video, a gunman whom police said was Archer was seen shooting into a patrol car driven by Hartnett, 33, who was shot in the arm but managed to fire back.
Archer, who sustained a bullet wound to the buttocks, was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder.
Archer told investigators that the attack was carried out “in the name of Islam,” police said. (Reuters)
