Ricardo Sosa Obituary, Death; – Philadelphia authorities have identified the individual who reportedly discharged a firearm at multiple officers last week, resulting in his death when they returned fire.
Ricardo Sosa, aged 40, was declared deceased at the hospital following the gunfire exchange on Friday, July 4. The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. on the 2900 block of Lawrence Street in the Fairhill area of the city.
As per the Philadelphia police, four officers were responding to a call regarding a man armed with a gun. The officers had just approached a residence when they came under fire from a fenced lot adjacent to the property, according to investigators.
The officers sought cover behind a patrol vehicle as additional shots were directed at them from within the residence, police reported.
Sosa then allegedly exited the home while actively firing at the officers.
The officers returned fire as Sosa entered the driver’s side of an unoccupied police car. Authorities indicate that he continued to shoot at the police while attempting to flee.
Police state that the officers maintained their engagement with Sosa, who subsequently exited the vehicle and collapsed to the ground.
He was transported to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m.
Fortunately, none of the officers sustained injuries.
Authorities report that a Smith & Wesson 9MM handgun, loaded with two live rounds and a fired cartridge casing in the chamber, was retrieved from the front passenger side floor of the police vehicle Sosa had entered.
An additional fired cartridge casing was also found inside the vehicle, according to police.
The police department has stated that all four officers have been assigned to administrative duty, which is standard procedure, pending the results of investigations by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, the Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Unit, and the District Attorney’s Office.
All officers are affiliated with the 25th District and are identified as follows:
Officer #1: Maria Mairone, 28, a three-year veteran
Officer #2: Scottie Martinez, 29, a two-year veteran
Officer #3: Ryan Perez, 34, a nine-year veteran
Officer #4: Carl Szylejko, 32, a seven-year veteran.
