On May 21, 2010, the Delaware County Police broadcasted a report of shots fired. Soon after, a Millbourne Police Officer in the area advised that he too heard approximately 15 shots fired. Within minutes, the communications center alerted responding police that an officer was shot at the same location as the original call.
It was subsequently determined that Officer Ray Blohm of the Upper Darby Police Department was wounded. Officer Blohm had encountered a suspect with an open container of alcohol. The suspect had exhibited suspicious behavior on prior shifts in this same area and immediately attempted to conceal the open container upon Officer Blohm’s approach.
Officer Blohm stopped and attempted to engage the suspect at the rear of the police vehicle. Ignoring his direction to stop, the suspect quickened his pace and soon began running. Officer Blohm followed him on foot, issuing verbal commands to stop and warning him of possible taser deployment. Soon after, the suspect suddenly turned around and produced a handgun from his waistband. Officer Blohm deployed his taser, saw no visible effect and then began to draw his duty weapon while moving to an area of cover.
While running toward cover, Officer Blohm had to stop to avoid being hit by a passing van. In that moment, he was struck by rounds fired from the suspect’s firearm. Now wounded, he returned fire in the direction of the suspect. After finding cover, he continued to exchange fire with the suspect. During this firefight, the suspect was wounded several times causing him to give up on the assault and renew his attempt to flee. Officer Blohm made several attempts to call for help on his issued police radio, which unknown to him at the time had been disabled during the exchange of gunfire.
He followed the suspect, eventually catching up with him, and determined that the assailant was now wounded and no longer had the gun. Officer Blohm then held the suspect at gunpoint with one hand and called the dispatcher on his cell phone with the other. He continued to perform his duty until the suspect was finally taken into custody by responding officers. Before being transported to the hospital, Officer Blohm continued to assist in the event by providing an incident briefing and a probable location of the suspect’s discarded firearm.
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