Philadelphia cop suffers heart attack making arrest

LOGAN - November 30, 2012 (WPVI) -- Officials say a Philadelphia Police officer suffered a heart attack while making an arrest in the Logan section of Philadelphia early Friday morning.

The incident happened during a foot pursuit and scuffle with a burglary suspect around 12:45 a.m. Friday on the 4800 block of North 7th Street.

Officials say Officer Michael Gwynn, 31, put out a call for an assist and, when fellow officers arrived, they found him unconscious in the middle of the street while holding down the suspect.

Police say Gwynn's heart had stopped and fellow officers Straus and Lindzinski began to give him CPR.

He was then taken to the hospital where he was fully revived.

Gwynn has been placed in a medically induced coma and is listed in critical but stable condition.

The suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Havon Cooper of the 1700 block of Bristol Street. He was treated for minor injuries and is now in custody facing a number of assault charges.

Cooper has four previous convictions, two for armed robbery, one for aggravated assault and one for escape.

There is a current warrant out for him for failing to comply with parole and probation rules.

Police say they don't know why the confrontation began but it was quite a battle. The officer's backup magazine was in the street and the buttons from his shirt had been ripped off.

He tried to radio for backup but was garbled because during the tussle his frequency ban kept getting switched.

Commissioner Charles Ramsey arrived to the hospital to offer condolences to the officer's family. In a statement he said, "His family is here and we are keeping them in our prayers. I applaud the efforts of the officers from the 35th district that performed CPR. They literally saved his life."

Officer Gwynn, a four year police veteran is married with two children.

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