Lawrence Packard Obituary – The Philadelphia police have now identified the individual believed to be responsible for the fatal standoff that took place on Wednesday. The suspect has been identified as Lawrence Packard, a 73-year-old man from Jenkintown. It was Packard who initiated the shootout with the SWAT officers, which tragically resulted in his own death.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning, at around 5 a.m., at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Borbeck Avenue. Initially, a patrol officer had responded to a reported car crash on Roosevelt Boulevard. However, upon arrival, the officer discovered Packard parked on the sidewalk at Borbeck Avenue, continuously honking his horn. The officer approached Packard and engaged in conversation, but Packard insisted that he did not require any assistance.
Upon returning to his patrol car, the officer heard what appeared to be gunshots as he drove away. He quickly turned back and witnessed Packard, armed with a gun, seated in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle. The officer sought cover behind his car and called for backup. Additional officers arrived at the scene and determined it to be a barricade situation. A SWAT team was subsequently dispatched to the location, and Packard began firing shots in the direction of the officers. In response, the SWAT officers returned fire, ultimately resulting in Packard’s fatal injuries. The windshield of Packard’s pickup truck bore at least seven bullet holes as a result of the exchange.
Medical professionals pronounced Packard dead at the scene at approximately 6 a.m. The two SWAT officers involved in the incident have been identified as Lieutenant William Schmid, aged 42, and Officer Patrick Saba, aged 38. While the investigation into the incident is ongoing, the two SWAT officers have been placed on administrative duty. The motive behind Packard’s actions remains unknown at this time. It is worth noting that although the officer who initially responded to the incident had an active body camera, the shooting itself was not captured on video. As a result of the violent standoff, temporary lane closures were implemented on Roosevelt Boulevard. However, these closures were only in effect for a short period, with the lanes reopening on Wednesday morning.