Man Suspected of Shooting Philadelphia Cop Acted 'In the Name of Islam'

The man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding a Philadelphia police officerin an ambush-style attack admitted to committing the assault in the name of Islam, and pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State militant group.

The 30-year-old shooter, who has been arrested, fired about 13 shots into the window of the officer's car while he was driving through West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross told reporters. The suspect walked toward the car as he fired, eventually getting close enough to reach in the window.

"He has confessed to committing this cowardly act in the name of Islam," Ross told a press conference.

According to authorities, the suspect, who was not named, told officers that he pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State and that is the reason he was called upon to commit the violent act. Three bullets hit Jesse Hartnett, 33, who was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital and will require several surgeries.

"We're just lucky, that's all I can say," Ross told reporters. "I can't even believe that he was able to survive this."

The attack comes a month after a married couple fatally shot 14 people in San Bernardino, California, in an attack inspired by Islamic State.

According to Ross, the incident was caught on video. Photos captured from surveillance footage show the individual storming through a crosswalk, approaching the moving vehicle as it rolls through the intersection.

"When you look at the video — we have video that captured all of this — it's one of the scariest things I've ever seen," Ross said.