PHILADELPHIA — A man was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer early Monday near Philadelphia International Airport following an altercation in which two attempts to subdue him with a Taser were unsuccessful, authorities said.

The incident began at 1:06 a.m. when an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department’s Airport Unit encountered a 36-year-old man on the southbound I-95 ramp at 1 PIA Way. The man told the officer he had been stabbed, prompting the officer to call for backup and request medics.

According to a preliminary investigation, a physical struggle broke out between the officer and the man while waiting for additional units to arrive. The officer deployed a Taser, but it failed to subdue the man. A second officer arrived at the scene and also attempted to use a Taser, which was again ineffective. At that point, the second officer fired his gun multiple times, striking the man. Medics arrived and pronounced him dead at 1:25 a.m.

The officer who fired his weapon, a 53-year-old, 28-year veteran of the force, has been placed on administrative duty pending investigations by Internal Affairs and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Neither officer was equipped with a body-worn camera.

Authorities have not released the identity of the man or provided further details on the circumstances leading up to the encounter.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.