Philly cop fired for shooting self, blaming black man
VIDEO - The city's police commissioner, Charles Ramsey said 46-year-old Robert Ralston confessed to making up the story and admits he actually intentionally shot himself...
A white Philadelphia police sergeant who made up a story about being shot by a black man while on patrol last month has lost his job.
The city’s police commissioner, Charles Ramsey said 46-year-old Robert Ralston confessed to making up the story and admits he actually intentionally shot himself.
Commissioner Ramsey said Ralston staged the shooting possibly to get attention or a transfer.
Ralston will have to pay the costs of the massive manhunt that followed.
WATCH VIDEO OF THE RALSTON CASE HERE:
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Ralston has been suspended with intent to dismiss, but will not face criminal charges because granting immunity was the only way to obtain his confession according to Ramsey.
Ramsey said the case was especially troubling because Ralston, who is white, identified his alleged attacker as black.
Ramsey said Ralston apparently did so because the area where the shooting took place is predominantly African-American.
Ralston, a 21-year veteran, told police he was on patrol in the city’s Overbrook section early on April 5 when he stopped two black men for questioning.
He told investigators that one of the men put a gun to his head, but that he knocked the weapon away and suffered a graze wound to the shoulder when it fired, investigators said. Both men fled, he said.
Police combed the neighborhood for hours looking for the men. Officers never stopped or arrested anyone matching Ralston’s description of the alleged gunman.
