Wounded Penn Police officer Ed Miller recounts the night he was shot

On Friday night, when a gunman opened fire on a Philadelphia Police sergent’s cruiser, Penn Police Officer Ed Miller jumped into action. Miller was the first officer to enter the alley where police killed the 25-year-old shooter Nicholas Glenn. Police reported that Glenn had shot five people, including a policewoman, earlier in the night, and Miller was also shot in the confrontation.

Talking to reporters on Monday night at an event hosted in his honor by the Fraternal Order of Police, Miller recalled the shooting, which left four others injured and one killed.

“Your training kicks in and you do what you have to do,” Miller said. “I didn’t even think about it too much until afterwards. At the time it was just about subduing the threat and protecting the public.”

Miller sped to 52nd and Sansom streets, where he sustained gunshot wounds to his ankle and hip as well as a graze wound to the elbow. It was the ultimate sacrifice — running into harm’s way to defend his fellow officers and protect innocent bystanders.

“This is something that you don’t really expect to run into, but you hope you’re prepared for,” said Miller. “I hope I lived up to the standards of both Philadelphia and Penn and did what I was supposed to do.”

Regarding the recent surge of violence targeting police officers, Miller said this type of violence was nothing new, but that officers should always be alert and aware of their surroundings.

“The threat’s always been there, it’s just a little more right now,” Miller said. “It’s no different for me than it is for the public.”

Miller expressed great concern for what he perceived as a rise in crime.

“After my incident, I’m in the hospital and I see about the bombing up in New York. What’s the difference between what I went through and what the people there walking down the street on a Saturday night, thinking they’re going to have a night out on the town [went through]?”

Miller became a police officer when he was 21-years-old, following in the footsteps of other family members. He served 33 years as an officer for the Philadelphia Police Department before coming to Penn two years ago.

Miller is expected to make a full recovery and hopes to return to work as soon as possible.

“It’s in my blood, so I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

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