By Vinny Vella
Source The Philadelphia Inquirer
A Southwest Philadelphia man has been charged with attempted murder and related offenses after police say he opened fire at an officer outside of the King of Prussia Mall during a crowded holiday season weekend.
Andrew Wiley, 27, tried to flee the scene of a hit-and-run crash he had caused in one of the mall's parking lots Sunday afternoon, but was thwarted by bumper-to-bumper traffic around the shopping mecca, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. Wiley totaled his car while attempting to elude the officer, police said, and then engaged him in a gunfight at the scene.
The officer returned fire, striking Wiley in his ankle. He was taken to Paoli Hospital, and then into custody at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, where he remained Monday, court records show.
There was no indication Wiley had hired an attorney.
Police shoot hit-and-run suspect outside King of Prussia Mall
After the shooting, in a statement to police, Wiley said he had gone shopping at the mall because he was depressed, the affidavit said. He told investigators he initially fled the scene of the crash because he didn't have insurance, and when he saw officers pursuing him, he said, he thought "I have to get out of here."
Wiley said he shot himself once in the thigh while retrieving his gun, and shot an additional five or six times at the officer following him, the affidavit said. The gun used in the shooting was a 9mm ghost gun, a firearm that does not have a serial number and was assembled illegally using a kit purchased online.
Wiley said he bought the gun "on the streets of Philadelphia" for $600, according to the affidavit.
Upper Merion Police Chief Thomas Nolan said Sunday that the department had been notified of the hit-and-run at the Green Deck section of the mall's parking garage about 2:30 p.m. The victim was able to take a photo of the vehicle that had struck theirs as it sped away, Nolan said.
As a bike officer responded to the area, he spotted a red Nissan Juke matching the description of the vehicle parked nearby, the affidavit said. No one was seated in the driver's seat, and the officer could not see in the back because the vehicle had tinted windows.
While the officer was watching the vehicle, Wiley got out of the backseat and into the driver's seat, ignoring commands from the officer to stop, the affidavit said. Wiley then drove away, and attempted to leave the mall property by the Seasons 52 steakhouse exit that leads to North Gulph Road.
As the Juke got stuck in traffic, a marked patrol car pulled up behind it, prompting Wiley to turn right, jump the curb and drive over a four-foot stone wall, police said. The impact disabled the vehicle, and Wiley got out, carrying the handgun.
He then opened fire as the officer approached him, and the officer returned fire. The officer was not injured.
"You have the largest shopping mall by retail space in the country, Sunday before Christmas," Nolan said of the incident. "It could have been very, very different."
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