The police department’s Internal Affairs department will investigate both shootings, Lt. Ray Evers, a police spokesman, said Sunday.
Walker, of the 7300 block of Theodore Street, is accused of using the toy gun to rob the liquor store at about 4:45 p.m. Five employees were herded into a manager’s office. When he couldn’t get money from a safe, the robber took about $1,000 from a cash register and left the store. The manager hit the store alarm and employees also called 911 and described the robber.
Officers in a car saw Walker nearby and chased him on foot about two blocks to a lot in the 2100 block of 60th Street, Evers said. The shooting occurred after Walker pointed the gun at the officer, he said. He said the toy gun “was real enough that five employees believed it was real and so did the police officer.” Evers would not release the name of the officer who shot Walker, but said he had been on the force three years.
None of the officers or store employees was hurt.
Evers said police recovered more than $1,000 in cash from Walker and that the five employees identified him as the robber. Walker, who was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania until Monday, has 16 prior arrests for robbery, assault, drug and weapons charges, police said. He is being charged with aggravated and simple assault, robbery and weapons violations.
The West Philadelphia shooting took place Saturday morning near Park West Town Center at North 52nd and West Jefferson streets. A man told a 24-year-old officer who joined the force about a year and a half ago that Clayton had tried to steal his backpack. Clayton, described as tall and heavyset, fought violently with the officer and continued to fight even after the officer began shooting. The officer fired 10 times and hit Clayton eight times.
Clayton, 31, of the 600 block of N. 34th Street, had 17 prior arrests for robbery, assault and drug and weapons violation, police said. He was in critical but stable condition Sunday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated and simple assaults and reckless endangerment.
The officer was released from the hospital Saturday night with severe bruising to both arms and a possible fracture of one arm, defensive wounds from shielding his head and face. Cuts on his face also required stitches. “It was a battle,” Evers said. “He was very, very lucky.”
Contact Stacey Burling at 215-854 4944 or sburling@phillynews.com
