President Trump on Thursday called for law enforcement to “get much tougher on street crime” after a gunman shot and wounded six Philadelphia police officers during an hours-long standoff.
“The Philadelphia shooter should never have been allowed to be on the streets. He had a long and very dangerous criminal record,” Trump tweeted.{mosads}
“Looked like he was having a good time after his capture, and after wounding so many police. Long sentence — must get much tougher on street crime!”
The standoff began when officers attempted to serve a warrant and the suspected gunman barricaded himself inside a home. He began shooting at police as they gathered inside and outside the residence, wounding six. Two others were trapped on the home’s second floor for several hours, authorities said.
All six wounded officers were released from the hospital on Wednesday night, and the suspect eventually surrendered to authorities.
Police told reporters that the suspect, identified as Maurice Hill, had a criminal history and was still able to obtain weapons and ammunition.
The incident came amid discussions between lawmakers and the White House over enacting stronger gun laws in the wake of recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; and Gilroy, Calif.
The president has voiced support for stronger background checks, though he has done so in the past only to back off.
He does have a consistent history of calling for stricter and controversial policing practices. He suggested last year in the wake of a rash of shootings in Chicago that the city implement the legally questionable practice of “stop and frisk.”
Trump also joked during a 2017 speech in Long Island that officers should not worry about injuring suspects when arresting them.
The president has on multiple occasions voiced support for punishing those convicted of killing police officers with the death penalty.