Ryder, a police offi cer in Philadelphia, was alone in his patrol car when he received a radio call of a “man with a gun.” Ryder was the fi rst offi cer to arrive and was confronted by a suspect brandishing an AR-15 semiautomatic rifl e pointed at him. Ryder was able to subdue him and place him into the back of his police cruiser. Backup units arrived approximately 12 minutes after the initial call. The weapon used by the suspect was later found fully loaded with the safety off. Subsequently, Ryder began to experience severe anxiety and stress from answering routine police calls, feeling that either he would be killed or have to kill somebody.

A physician diagnosed Ryder as having posttraumatic stress disorder. Would Ryder be entitled to benefi ts under workers’ compensation laws? [ Ryder v. City of Philadelphia , 2930 C.D. 1997 (Pennsylvania).]