TEHRAN, Apr. 07 (MNA) – A Pennsylvania police officer and two other people were shot in Northeast Philadelphia on Wednesday evening before the suspect fatally shot himself, according to authorities.

The officer, who serves with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), is in a critical but stable condition, the Philadelphia Police Department said in a statement.

Two women, ages 57 and 42, were shot and are expected to recover from their injuries, the police statement said.

Gunshots were reported around 7 p.m., and officers chased the armed suspect into an apartment building, Philadelphia police Sgt. Eric Gripp said. Around that same time, officers received reports that the two women were shot nearby, CNN reported.

"Police officers from both Philadelphia Police Department and SEPTA Police Department arrived on scene while this male fired shots at officers from both the second and third floor from this apartment building," Gripp said.

According to a recent report, Chicago had its deadliest and most violent year in 25 years in 2021, with about 800 homicides and more than 3,500 shootings. The city of Chicago witnessed more murders in 2021 than any other city in the United States, including the very large cities of New York and Los Angeles.

MA/PR