Police recover gun that was stolen from off-duty cop during group attack; one suspect remains at large

Last updated: May 14, 12:45 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Police are looking for a man they believe is armed and dangerous following a scuffle with an off-duty police officer in North Philadelphia. Investigators said the suspect was among a group of people who attacked the officer on Sunday and stole his service weapon.

Philadelphia police said a 42-year-old off-duty 22nd District police officer was on his way home from work around 7 a.m. Sunday when he encountered a vehicle and a group of people blocking the street along the 2100 block of Oxford Street, near Ridge Avenue in North Philly.

Officials said the officer waited three red light cycles in traffic before honking his horn. A person in the group, known as Duke, approached the officer while he was still sitting in his car and punched him in the face. The officer got out and identified himself as a cop, but police said Duke brandished a gun, and a struggle ensued.

Another armed man, now identified as Yusef Coleman, joined the scuffle and put the officer in a headlock. The officer managed to push Coleman’s gun away, police said.

“The firearm that he's struggling over, he has a hand on it,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore. “The offender has a hand on it. At some point, he's able to get the magazine dislodged. It was an extended magazine. That drops. But the officer, due to his training, knows that there's another round in the chamber. So the officer then puts his hand on the trigger and was able to point the gun away and discharge one time. No one was injured.”

However, Duke pointed a gun at the officer and forced him to drop the weapon, officials said, and the group subsequently beat the officer and stole his service weapon.

Coleman then drove away, striking the cop’s leg in the process. He was arrested later that day in Kensington. On Tuesday, officials announced he is charged with aggravated assault, assault of a law enforcement officer, robbery, theft and related offenses.

The officer’s gun was recovered on Tuesday, authorities said. It was not immediately clear who stole the gun or how it was recovered.

Meanwhile, Duke still remains at large.

Beyond Duke and Coleman, other suspects have been identified, and police are speaking with them. Earlier reports stated police were also looking for a group of women who initially helped the man get away, but that is no longer the case.