Philadelphia Police Officer Flashes Thumbs Up Leaving Hospital After Being Shot

By Greg Argos

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A day after being shot in West Philadelphia, one of the city's police officer had a homecoming on Monday night.

Police said the alleged shooter in the case is 23-year-old Scott Griffin. He was arrested on Monday afternoon. As he sits behind bars, the officer he is accused of shooting is back home with his family.

Less than 24 hours after being shot in the leg, 24-year-old Officer James McCullough, a two-year veteran of the force, was released from Penn Presbyterian Hospital.

McCullough flashed a thumbs up as he was escorted away by fellow officers. "He's exhausted. He was up all night long," said Police Commissioner Richard Ross.

McCullough was approached on Tuesday night by a woman who says that two men carjacked her. "The shooting suspect first gets out the vehicle. There's a slight tussling right then and there," said Captain James Clark.

"Then, the suspect starts to take off. Officer McCullough starts to chase him and at that point he turns and he shoots him one time in the leg."

Police say McCullough fired three times at the suspect and even asked to apply his own tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Also behind bars is Griffin's accomplice, 20-year-old Samir Coyett. Investigators say Griffin was possibly carrying the same weapon used to shoot McCullough, when he was arrested.

Police say they are quite familiar with Griffin. "The shooter has a lengthy record. He's been arrested 14 times. He is a dangerous individual obviously. We're very happy to get him off the streets as quickly as we did," Clark said.

Police say both suspects faces charges of attempted murder as well as robbery, though neither, as of Monday night, have been arraigned.