'Absolute deliberate act': Video shows driver plowing into Philadelphia police district building

6abc Philadelphia
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A man deliberately drove his vehicle into the Philadelphia Police Department's 2nd District headquarters Tuesday afternoon, according to Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
The crash happened around 1:40 p.m. at the building on the 7300 block of Castor Avenue in the city's Rhawnhurst neighborhood.
"It is clearly an absolute deliberate act," Bethel said during a news conference.
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Breaking news, a vehicle crashes into the Philadelphia Police Department's 2nd District in Ronhurst.
The moment it happened, captured on video, and now part of an investigation.
Philadelphia's police commissioner revealing minutes ago they believe this was clearly an intentional act.
It happened just before 2 o'clock today at the building on Castor Avenue.
As you see, that SUV went all the way through the front doors, right where several people were standing.
Let's get right out live to the scene and Action News reporter John Paul in Ronhurst.
John, we were just updated by authorities. What more can you tell us?
Well, Sarah and Brian, they're looking to see if this might have been an act of terrorism.
We know the feds are on the scene, and originally there was concern a bomb was inside the vehicle, so they pushed us back.
The bomb squad came in, they cleared that vehicle.
I'm going to step out of the way so you can see where things stand right now.
That SUV is all the way inside the 2nd District, still at this hour, so they're working on pulling it out.
We also know from Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel that the suspect had been involved in an incident this morning, around 11.30.
Not too far from here, it involved his father with some kind of a domestic dispute.
And then a short time later, they say he got into his SUV and crashed right through the front doors.
Based on what we see, it is clearly an absolute deliberate act.
Based on the video that we watched, the individuals traveling in the lane of traffic,
and then intentionally, based on our viewpoint of the video, and go directly into the lobby of the 2nd District.
Now this is the video we obtained from inside that Police District.
You see the SUV just come crashing right through the front doors.
You also notice how busy the lobby itself is at the time there.
At least five people were inside of that lobby as the vehicle barrels through.
Now I'm told they were injured.
They were all taken to the hospital, but these were not serious injuries,
which is amazing when you watch that video.
You can also see the damage done to the building itself, the vehicle all the way inside.
And witnesses tell me the driver ran out of that vehicle, and then he was tackled and arrested.
They tackled him to the ground and put him in cuffs and took him. They arrested him.
So here's something to note. 2nd District is still operating at this hour.
So you can still get services here.
Obviously you can't come to the building itself because this is closed off,
but officers are still responding to calls as they are working on this situation right here.
Still a fluid situation, but that is the latest as we have it.
Looks like they're going to try to do something with the structure itself and get that vehicle out.
Live in Ronhurst, John Paul, Channel 6 Action News. Brian, Sarah?
Yeah, we saw L&I out there on the scene. They've got to shore that up, I'm sure.
John, thank you.
