Suspect in Philadelphia police officer killing spotted on surveillance videos; dead officer identified

Philadelphia police released video footage Friday of at least one suspect allegedly involved in the shooting of two police officers late Thursday, including one who was fatally shot as they both arrived for their shifts at the Philadelphia International Airport.

Officer Richard Mendez, 50, was shot and killed when he and another officer responded to the sound of glass shattering and attempted to intervene in a car break-in inside the parking garage involving three or four people, Interim Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a Friday news conference. The intervention turned into a confrontation with a suspect who opened fire on the officers, authorities said. 

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Mendez was struck multiple times. The other officer, Raul Ortiz, 60, was wounded in the arm. Both were taken to different hospitals where Mendez was pronounced dead. Ortiz was listed in stable condition. 

Mendez was killed three days shy of celebrating his 23 years as a member of the police force. He was married and had a daughter. His gun was not recovered at the scene, police said.

Stanford called the killing a “devastating incident.”

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“I would submit to you that it’s devastating to this city to know that this is the type of behavior that’s occurring,” he said. “The type of individuals that are out there on the street to take someone’s life over a vehicle that didn’t belong to them.”

One suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jesus Herman Madera-Duran, was shot and fled the scene in a stolen black Dodge Durango before responding officers arrived. 

A short time later, police believe the vehicle arrived at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and dropped off the wounded suspect. Interim Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said investigators had not yet confirmed that Madera-Duran was the shooter or how he was shot. 

He said investigators were still trying to identify as many as three additional suspects.

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The video released by authorities shows at least one suspect dropping Madera-Duran off at the hospital. The vehicle is seen pulling into an area with EMTs. The suspect drags Madera-Duran out of the SUV and gets back inside and drives away. 

The vehicle was found Friday on fire after investigators were able to tap into an air tag tracking device in the SUV, police said. 

A $148,000 reward is being offered for information in the case.