UPDATE (2:00 p.m.): The gunman has been identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer of Yeadon. He reportedly told police that he had committed this act “in the name of Islam.” It also appears that he has been suffering from a mental condition. Archer’s mother told Philly.com that her son had been hearing voices and was asked to get medical help. 

A police officer was ambushed and shot multiple times, as he was driving his cruiser near 60th and Spruce, according to police.

The shooting took place at around 11:30 p.m. when a gunman approached the patrol vehicle and fired at least 13 shots at the officer with a semiautomatic pistol. The officer, identified as 33-year-old Jesse Hartnett, was struck in the left arm and multiple times in both legs and was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition after having surgery.

Hartnett was able to exit his vehicle and return fire at the gunman, striking him in the lower back area, according to a police report. The gunman tried to flee south on 60th Street, but was caught nearby. Police recovered a black, 9mm semiautomatic pistol.

Police are calling the shooting an “attempted execution” and say the shooting was unprovoked.

Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who has been on the job for a week, said at a press conference this morning that it was “amazing that [Hartnett] was able to survive.”

Kindergarten registration for the 2016-2017 school year will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 19. A couple of area schools will soon start the lottery application process.

Penn Alexander School.

Penn Alexander School (43rd and Locust) will start accepting applications for Kindergarten lottery also on January 19. Applications will be accepted through Monday, Feb. 29. Applications received after Feb. 29 will be placed on a wait list. Only children residing within the PAS Catchment are eligible for the lottery (two proofs of residency within the catchment are are required).

The lottery will be conducted on the week of March 7, and student households will receive lottery letters the following week. For more information about kindergarten registration at PAS, go to the school website.

The School District of Philadelphia introduced somewhat controversial lottery process at PAS in 2013 after the school had received an overwhelming number of applications in the previous few years. The first public school in the district to introduce admissions lottery, the PAS lottery was called a “pilot” for other schools.

One of the new charter schools in the area, Independence Charter School West has been accepting lottery applications since November 2015. The school is enrolling students in grades K-3 for its inaugural 2016-2017 school year in Southwest Philadelphia (the school will open at 56th and Chester in September 2016). Children residing in Southwest and West Philadelphia and in Overbrook are welcome to apply (priority will be given to students from the Bartram, Overbrook, and Sayre high school catchments). Th  lottery application deadline is February 1, 2016 and the drawing will be held on February 16. For more information and to apply, go to: http://www.icswest.org/Admissions.aspx. If you have questions, email:  icswestinfo@icscharter.com

A 29-year-old woman was robbed while walking on the 4900 block of Osage Avenue on Tuesday evening. The incident happened at around 7:15 p.m., according to police. The woman told police that three young men, approximately 17-18 years old, approached her from behind and asked her what time it was. When she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to check the time, one of the men grabbed her from behind and threw her to the ground, according to a police report. Then, the men demanded the pass code for the woman’s phone before one of them grabbed it from her hand.

The woman told police that while she was on the ground struggling with the attackers something resembling a black handgun fell next to her head. She believes the gun was fake because of the hollow sound it made when it hit the ground. The weapon was picked up and all three men fled east on Osage toward 48th. Police say the weapon was never pointed at the victim during the attack.

Here’s a list of jobs and volunteer opportunities currently available for West Philadelphia residents. If you know of more job opportunities in West Philadelphia, please email editor@westphillylocal.com.

• The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) is recruiting West Philadelphians with laboratory experience for training and job opportunities as Laboratory Technicians. This is a great opportunity to grow careers within a top-ranked organization offering competitive pay and great benefits. The application deadline is January 22, 2016. You can apply online, or print and mail/fax the program application to WPSI. Click here for more and information and to apply.

• Source For Teachers is hiring K-12 substitute teachers and other full-time support staff to work in the School District of Philadelphia for the 2015/16 school year and beyond. The following positions are currently available: Substitute Teacher, Classroom Assistant, Food Service Preparation, Schools Secretary, School Counselor, Part-Time Aide. Interested individuals will have access to a variety of in-person and online training workshops. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.source4teachers.com/.  Continue Reading

As promised, here are more details about the upcoming Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Day, organized by the University City District and UC Green. You can get rid of your tree in an environmentally friendly way by bringing it to Clark Park (43rd and Chester) on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recycled trees will be turned into wood chips to be used in local parks and community gardens, so please also bring a $10 donation along with your tree. Also enjoy free roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate while you’re watching your tree getting chipped.

This event is also a great chance to recycle old or unwanted household electronics. eForce Recycling, Philadelphia’s first certified Responsible Recycler will be at the park from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. accepting electronics from residents and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Please note that smoke detectors, large appliances (like washers and dryers and refrigerators), and projection TVs will not be accepted. There will be a $20 charge to dispose of CRT (tube) TVs and computer monitors.

For more Christmas tree recycling opportunities in the city, check out this post.

SEPTA El Station at 60th and Market (Google Street View image).

It was a violent end to 2015 in West Philadelphia, with reports of multiple shootings, many of which were fatal, in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, more shootings have already been reported in the new year. A 35-year-old man was shot multiple times and critically wounded on early Sunday afternoon outside of the SEPTA El station at 60th and Market, bringing the total number of people shot in the same area since Christmas to three, according to police.

Officer Joe Murray of the Southwest Detectives Division, known to many local residents as “the tweeting cop,” says it’s a major problem. He took to social media last night to raise awareness and to call for more police presence in the area, which is a busy El stop, a business area, and “the biggest drug block in SW division.”

@poseidonguy1 everyday. Put one there every single day. That’s how it was when I was a cop out there and there wasn’t an issue.

— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) January 3, 2016

According to Murray, whose tweeting efforts were featured today on Philadelphia Magazine’s website, violence in the area can be reduced only through a joint cooperation among police, residents and business owners.

@phillymag @joelmmathis Challenging everyone to step up. Us, business owners, residents, media. You name it. We all want violence reduced.

— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) January 4, 2016

If you want more information or want to make your voice heard, the next community meeting with 18th District police officers (PSA 1) will take place on Thursday, Jan. 7, at Christian Compassion Hall at 6130 Cedar Ave. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Please bring your questions and concerns. If you have questions, please email or call 18th District: police.co_18@phila.gov, 215-686-3180.

UPDATE (1/13/2016): There will be an emergency meeting at the Bryant School at 60th and Cedar on Thursday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m. to discuss the recent spike in violent crimes in the area.