Amtrak police shoot man dead inside Philadelphia rail station

Amtrak Police Chief Ron Frazier

July 18, 2000
Web posted at: 2:03 p.m. EDT (1803 GMT)

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- Amtrak said one of its police officers Tuesday shot and killed a man who hit another officer with a metal chair in the main concourse of Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.

Amtrak Police Chief Ron Frazier said a disorderly man, whose name has not yet been released, was threatening passers-by and using profane language as he held the chair at about 10:45 a.m.

He allegedly dared police to shoot him and swung the chair at Amtrak Police Officer Walter Wahler, who received minor injuries, an Amtrak spokesman said.

Amtrak Police Lt. Dennis Kelly fired one round at the suspect, who was pronounced dead at Hahnemann University Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, Frazier said.

Frazier said Amtrak's policy on the use of deadly force requires that an officer be in a potentially life-threatening situation.

He declined to answer questions about whether Kelly was armed with mace, pepper spray or other non-lethal deterrents.

The shooting did not disrupt train service, but a section of the concourse was roped off as Philadelphia police investigated.

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