Police stopped the suspects' car while investigating a triple shooting Monday night.

No weapons were found in the car or on the suspects.

But officers said they had witnessed the suspects shoot three people on a drug corner moments earlier.

"It is not acceptable, of course, to do anything less than the professional standards we expect of our Philadelphia police officers and they know that," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.

One police sergeant and five officers were removed from street duty as authorities investigate the beating but more than a dozen officers were involved in the response.

---