MONTCO MAN SHOT IN POLICE STRUGGLE DIES

A Montgomery County man shot during a struggle with a Philadelphia
police officer on Wednesday died Sunday of his injuries, police and
relatives said yesterday.

Jamaar Morton, 23, of Upper Dublin, was pronounced dead at 5:23 a.m.
at Albert Einstein Medical Center, police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore
said.

Morton was driving a Chevrolet Lumina through West Oak Lane when
police stopped him for traffic violations, Vanore said.

Officers said they spotted narcotics in the car and ordered Morton
out. When he got out, he grabbed an officer's gun, which went off,
striking him in the side. Another officer ran to assist.

The officers, whom authorities have not identified, were not injured.
Internal Affairs and the District Attorney's Office are
investigating, as is usual in all fatal police shootings.

Police said they found 20 vials of crack in Morton's car. Morton, who
had a long record of drug arrests, was facing charges of aggravated
assault and narcotics offenses.

Morton's father, Alvin Clifton, said yesterday he was going to meet
with authorities to discuss the shooting.

"I know my son was in the wrong, especially if it happened the way
that they said it did," Clifton said. "But something about the story
just doesn't seem right."

Morton is the fourth person fatally wounded in confrontations with
police this year. Two others have been injured. Last year, three
people were fatally shot and three people injured in January.

The number of fatal shootings by police has declined in recent years.
Last year, officers fatally shot 11 people, compared with 15 in 2007
and 22 in 2006.

Last year, Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey had department policy on
the use of deadly force reviewed by a consulting firm and provided
additional training for officers.