WTFX PHILADELPHIA - A citywide manhunt is on for at least one more suspect after a Philadelphia police officer was shot in the leg during a shootout.
The shooting happened on the 3000 block of Water Street in Kensington around 8:30 p.m. Thursday when police stopped a white van matching a police radio description of a vehicle seen earlier being loaded up with weapons on Master Street.
As two uniformed officers walked up to the van, the occupants hopped out firing what police described as assault rifles and unleashed too many shots to count, so far. The officers returned fire, but it's not clear if anyone was struck.
Officer Kevin Livewell, a 9-year veteran from the 24th District, was shot in the right shin and transported to Temple Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Authorities say one suspect is in custody, but one or two others remain at large. They're described as armed and extremely dangerous.
Mayor Michael Nutter spoke outside of Temple University Hospital on Thursday night after visiting with Livewell and said that the 30-year-old father of two was doing well.
"It is incredible the kinds of things that go on on the streets of our city and the dangers that our officers face on a daily basis," Nutter said. "Officer Livewell is a 9-year veteran, a very proud officer, did his job out here this evening. And we're very fortunate that he survived this attack."
Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross added, "When you take into consideration the type of weapons that they were confronted with, it's just absolutely remarkable that they're both here with us. Fortunately, his partner was not injured in this incident."
Police later said eight weapons were recovered at the scene, including several assault-type weapons. The list included AR-15s, AK-47S, Glock handguns with 30 rounds magazines and more. Two long rifles had "banana clips," which are magazines that clip on and hold dozens of rounds, making them like machine guns.
"We also have ballistic evidence that indicates at least one of those assault weapons was fired at the officers," Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Small went on to say that he'd never seen this amount of weaponry coming out of one car and aimed at police officers.
Some investigators compared it to enough weapons for an Afghan insurgent invasion.
A motorcycle was also recovered from inside the van.
Fox 29's Dave Schratwieser reported that police are trying to trace all eight weapons, they're checking for evidence on ski masks, and they're dusting the van for fingerprints.