When a kid pointing a very realistic looking BB gun at the cops is shot by the police you’ll probably see it on every cable news channel in regular rotation for days on end. But you may have to search a bit longer to find out when the cops themselves have been shot. Unfortunately, that’s what happened yet again in Philadelphia last night as two officers wound up being shot in yet another ambush attack. The initial target was Sergeant Sylvia Young, a 19 year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, who was sitting in her squad car when the would-be assassin came up and opened fire. She was shot eight times at point blank range with most of the injuries being in her left side. A second officer was shot later during the pursuit of the suspect.

Six people, including a Philadelphia police sergeant, a University of Pennsylvania officer and four civilians were shot by one man on a shooting spree that stretched multiple blocks of West Philadelphia late Friday night.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said it all started around 11:20 p.m. when a man targeting police officers walked up to Sergeant Sylvia Young’s police car located at 52nd and Sansom streets and opened fire on the officer.

Ross said other officers in the area heard the shots and responded, chasing the lone gunman. As the suspect fled, Commissioner Ross said he shot four other people. A man and a woman from a nearby bar were shot, then a man and a woman sitting in a vehicle at 49th and Sansom were also shot.

According to the Commissioner, the suspect was chased into an alley near 48th and Sansom streets where University of Pennsylvania Officer Eddie Miller was also shot by the suspect.

Through what could only be ascribed to divine mercy, neither officer was killed. The same can’t be said for the assailant, who was shot dead by the police after shooting five more people, including Eddie Miller, the University of Pennsylvania officer.

Here’s the video of local authorities explaining the atrocity.

Too often when police officers are targeted for assassination we’re left wondering about motives and what may have led up to the event. In this case we shouldn’t have any such issues. The suspect may be at room temperature, but he left behind a letter. In it, authorities say he described his “hatred for police officers” and named a specific parole officer who he wanted to go after. It probably won’t come as any surprise that the as yet unnamed suspect has a record of encounters with law enforcement and it’s probably not for his volunteer work with the PBA, based on the fact that he was on parole.

This is the second ambush attack on the police in Philadelphia this year, following the attempted assassination of Officer Jesse Hartnett in January. We’ll update this article when the identify of the shooter is released.

UPDATE: (Jazz)

The shooter has been identified as 25-year-old Nicholas Glenn who, as I suggested initially, was well known to authorities. (AT&T News)

Police Commissioner Richard Ross identified the gunman in the Friday overnight attack as 25-year-old Nicholas Glenn, who was “well-known” to police and has a criminal record.

Ross said Glenn had a 9mm Ruger and at least three magazines as well as a plastic bag with 13 to 15 live rounds. Investigators were trying to track the origins of the weapon, which had an obliterated serial number.

“Obviously, he was hell-bent on hurting a lot of people,” the commissioner said at a news conference, adding that “we aren’t absolutely clear as to why.”

Police suspect mental illness, but isn’t that always the case? His “rambling note” expressed hatred for police, so make of that what you will. And his gun had the serial number wiped out. Do you suppose he went through the normal background checks and picked that up at a licensed dealer? Give me a break. Here’s some background on his life, including a stretch in prison. And here’s the mugshot.