Nutter Wants Public's Help With Guns

Philadelphia Mayor Nutter says citizens need to work with police to get guns off the streets.

"Why was he out, how did he get a weapon?" Nutter said about shooting suspect Rasheed Scrugs.

Scrugs is charged with the murder of Officer John Pawlowski, the sixth officer killed on duty in Philadelphia since October 2007.

Nutter also revealed that suspect Scrugs had been arrested late last year and was coming up for trial this Wednesday.

Scrugs has a lengthy rap sheet that includes arrests for armed robbery, auto theft and firearms violations. He served five years in state prison from 1997 to 2002, and then violated his parole and served six more months.

There were also reports that Scrugs was wearing a protective vest when he confronted officers last Friday.

"This police department has been battered through all of this. The men and women out there continue to work hard and do their job daily," Nutter said.

"We need the public to step up. If you know about someone who has a weapon, give us that information," Nutter said. "We will try to deal with these situations up front."

Nutter said he is working with Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey to helping officers better prepare for possible confrontations.

"You dont know who you are confronting, said about the tough task that officers deal with daily," Nutter said.

"We can't do it alone. The public needs to step up. Someone knew he had a weapon."

Nutter wouldn't comment directly on possible steep cuts in the police budget.

"We will make sure the streets of Philadelphia are safe," Nutter said.

"I can't over emphasize the importance of citizens sharing information with us. That beats everything else."