Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire score goals as Orlando City beats Union 2-1

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) —

Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire each scored a goal Wednesday night to help Orlando City beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1.

Torres scored on a one-touch finish off a ball played by Luis Muriel to open the scoring in the 57th minute. Then, in the 64th, on the counter-attack, Muriel flicked a perfectly-placed through ball to McGuire, who beat goalkeeper Andre Blake one on one to give Orlando (14-11-7) a 2-0 lead.

Quinn Sullivan put away an entry played by Dániel Gazdag with a one-touch finish from point-blank range for Philadelphia (9-12-10) in the 72nd minute.

Orlando had 55% possession and outshot the Union 20-16, 6-3 on target.

Pedro Gallese had two saves for Orlando City.

Blake stopped four shots for Philadelphia.

AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer

Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan, left, tries to stop Orlando City's Nicolas Lodeiro (14) from advancing the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan (33) celebrates his goal against Orlando City with teammate Jakob Glesnes (5) during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando City's Duncan McGuire, left, gets past Philadelphia Union's Jack Elliott (3) to score a goal during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando City's Duncan McGuire celebrates after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Union during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando City's Duncan McGuire celebrates after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Union during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando City's Duncan McGuire does a back flip after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Union during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Orlando City forward Facundo Torres celebrates his goal against the Philadelphia Union during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha's police chief said Wednesday that an officer followed protocol when he shot a fleeing, armed Nebraska man eight times this weekend, killing him.

Steven Phipps, 22, is the second Black man killed by an Omaha officer in the past two months.

Omaha police Chief Todd Schmaderer told reporters that police pulled Phipps over for expired plates during a traffic stop Saturday and he ran away. Two officers chased him. Schmaderer said Phipps had a gun, which he legally owned, as he scaled a fence.

The firearm was pointed at Officer Noah Zendejas as Phipps fell from the fence, and body camera video stills show the gun in his right hand as he fell, police said. Zendejas, who is Hispanic and has worked for Omaha police for three years, then shot Phipps. Police released a compilation of video and audio from the shooting.

Schmaderer said Zendejas first spotted a heavy weight in Phipps' hoodie as he ran.

Steven Phipps' aunt, Angela Phipps, was with the family when police showed them the full video and audio from the shooting, which wasn’t all released at Wednesday's news conference. She said she heard Phipps repeatedly say “don't shoot me” after he hit the ground while holding his hands and one leg up “like a Heisman pose but laying on the ground.”

But Omaha Police Lt. Neal Bonacci said that isn't accurate because the body camera video shows most of the shots were fired while Phipps was in midair. Bonacci said Phipps did say something after he landed, but that was after he had already been shot. He said Phipps didn't drop the gun until after he landed.

Asked by reporters whether Phipps' gun was accidentally pointed at officers because he was falling, Schmaderer said that was “entirely possible.” But he questioned why Phipps still had possession of the gun and had not thrown it to the side. Schmaderer said Zendejas was also concerned about the risk to a public transit stop nearby.

“We really don't know what Mr. Phipps' intent was,” Schmaderer said. “But when that gun started to be pointed to him and he had it in his hand, that officer's authorized at that point to defend himself.”

Zendejas has not previously been disciplined for any use-of-force violations, Bonacci said.

Police said an autopsy shows Phipps was not shot in the back, and they showed a photo of his back to the family. A copy of the autopsy was not immediately provided to reporters.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine will review the investigation and decide whether to file charges, and the shooting will later be reviewed by a grand jury under Nebraska law. Kleine’s office did not immediately say when he will announce his decision on any charges.

Phipps' family, who said his father was killed four years ago in California, is distraught over losing him. They said Phipps got off work shortly before the shooting and had his little brother in the car with him.

“I’m so broken that I don’t know what to say. It was just wrong. It was wrong,” said Gail Phipps, his aunt.

Schmaderer said that had Phipps stayed in the car and told officers he had a gun, “he would have been issued a ticket for expired plates.” But his family said he had tried that in the past and was still arrested for having a concealed weapon.

Schmaderer pointed to a recent rise in the number of guns officers are finding in the community and said it's important for people to follow police orders.

“When somebody runs from a law enforcement officer, they’re trained to go after them,” he said. “We’re attempting to reduce crime. The minute I say as chief, ‘We’re no longer going to go after law violators,’ is the minute crime starts going up.”

Last month Schmaderer fired another officer who fatally shot an unarmed man while serving a no-knock warrant, a policy that has since been suspended in the city.

Omaha Police Officer Adam Vail was part of a SWAT team serving a search warrant during a drug and firearms investigation Aug. 28 when he fired the single shot that killed 37-year-old Cameron Ford, prosecutors said. Vail said Ford, who was Black, charged at him without his hands visible.

Kleine declined to charge the officer, but Schmaderer said an internal investigation found Vail violated department procedures.

Schmaderer said he is working to rebuild trust with residents after both shootings and planned to attend another community meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Ballentine reported from Jefferson City, Missouri.

This early 2024 photo provided by Angela Phipps shows Steven Phipps, left, hugging his mom at a family gathering in Omaha, Neb. (Angela Phipps via AP)

This early 2024 photo provided by Angela Phipps shows Steven Phipps performing music in Omaha, Neb. (Angela Phipps via AP)

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer speaks during a news conference on the fatal shooting of Steven Phipps Jr., 22, by police, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at Omaha Police Headquarters in Omaha, Neb. (Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, left, speaks during a news conference on the fatal shooting of Steven Phipps Jr., 22, by police, next to Omaha Mayor Jean Stother, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at Omaha Police Headquarters in Omaha, Neb.(Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer speaks during a news conference on the fatal shooting of Steven Phipps Jr., 22, by police, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at Omaha Police Headquarters in Omaha, Neb. (Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via AP)