Suspect in pregnant woman's death killed after officer shot for 2nd time in career

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA -- A Philadelphia police officer is lucky to be alive after being shot while attempting to arrest a man wanted in the killing of a pregnant woman last year. The officer, however, managed to fire back, killing the suspect.

It happened just after 6:00 a.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in the 800 block of Riverside Drive in Northeast Philadelphia.

Police sources tell Action News that officers were serving an arrest warrant on a suspect, identified by sources as 26-year-old Devon Guisherd, for the death of 25-year-old Megan Doto last September.

Police say that suspect opened fire, hitting one of the officers in the stomach.

Officials say the officer who was struck was the one who returned fire, killing Guisherd.

The injured officer was wearing a bullet proof vest and was taken to Aria Health/Torresdale with stable vital signs, and later released.

Officials have not yet released the officer's name, but Action News has learned that he is a married father of two children, a 17-year veteran of the force, and assigned to SWAT.

In addition, this is the second time he has been shot in the line of duty.

During a Wednesday morning press conference, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said that because the officer is part of SWAT, his vest has a special flap that protected him.

"If this had been a patrol officer we'd be having a different discussion," Ramsey said.

Megan Doto was shot and killed by a stray bullet on September 14th in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. She was eight months pregnant at the time.

Police said Guisherd fired 11 shots down the 1400 block of Adams Street, targeting a white sedan that had circled the block.

The intended target was not hit, police said.

Doto was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital.

Her baby was delivered by emergency C-section after her mother was mortally wounded, but the child died hours later.