Eric Torres
The man who shot and permanently injured Philadelphia Police Officer Edward Davies in 2013 has been sentenced to serve 66 to 132 years in state prison.
Common Pleas Court Judge Charles Ehrlich handed the punishment to Eric Torres on July 8, about four months after a jury convicted Torres of four counts of aggravated assault, drug charges and firearms offenses.
Torres, 33, a native of Puerto Rico who was living on the 400 block of W. Raymond St., shot the Northeast resident Davies inside a corner store at Fourth and West Annsbury streets on Aug. 13, 2013. Davies, who was 42 at the time, suffered abdominal wounds, lost a kidney, lost a significant amount of blood and spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. He has undergone numerous surgeries for his injuries and still walks with a cane.
Torres had previously been convicted of drug offenses and been charged at least five times with assaulting police before his confrontation with Davies and three of the officer’s colleagues. The episode began when police stopped Torres in a car at Fifth and Allegheny. Torres handed his ID to an officer, but then drove off, prompting a vehicle pursuit.
After the trailing officer called off the chase, Torres crashed and abandoned his car at Bristol Street and Rising Sun Avenue, fleeing on foot to the corner store less than a block from his house.
Davies and other officers tracked Torres to the store and tried to grab him, but the suspect fought back violently. During the scuffle, Torres pulled a gun from his clothing and shot Davies. ••
