A Philadelphia police officer shot his uncle 6 times in the head, killing him. He's claiming self-defense.

A Philadelphia police officer who shot his uncle six times in the head and killed him last week in Northampton County is claiming self-defense, according to a criminal complaint. 

Philadelphia Police Officer Kenroy Cummings, 25, was off-duty at the time of the shooting Friday on the 1200 block of Old Gate Road in Allen Township, Northampton County. He's been charged with criminal homicide and eluding police in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Shakir Moncrieffe, who is his uncle. 

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said because Cummings has been charged with a homicide, he will be "removed from the police department" during the investigation.

According to a criminal complaint, officers responded to the home on Old Gate Road in Allen Township just before 2 p.m. for a domestic incident where shots were fired. 

Before Cummings was eventually taken into custody following a police chase, Moncrieffe was inside the home with a minor. The boy told police Moncrieffe made verbal threats to him, and that he felt scared, a criminal complaint said. 

The boy contacted multiple family members, including Cummings, who went to the home. 

While Cummings and Moncrieffe were inside the residence, the boy and a female were outside when they heard a loud noise from inside the home, according to the criminal complaint. Cummings was allegedly "attempting to stand up and being pushed" by his uncle, police said. 

The boy then walked inside the home on Old Gate Road through the front door and punched Moncrieffe in the face two times as he "squared up" with him, the criminal complaint said. After that, Cummings then shot Moncrieffe in the head, and his uncle's body slumped against a wall, police said. Cummings shot Moncrieffe again and fled the home, the criminal complaint said. 

Police said Moncrieffe was shot six times in the head. He also had an injury to his right wrist. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg and pronounced dead around 2:45 p.m.

Cummings was taken into custody without incident after fleeing the shooting in a Kia Forte. According to the criminal complaint, Cummings ignored officers' commands to pull over and drove 100 mph in a 45 mph zone before he was arrested at the initial crime scene. He was armed with a Taurus G2C 9mm handgun when he was arrested, the criminal complaint said.

In an interview with police, Cummings told officers he shot his uncle. He claimed self-defense and said he believed that Moncrieffe was reaching for his firearm, according to the criminal complaint. That's when Cummings took his gun out of his pocket and fatally shot his uncle, police said.

Cummings allegedly told police that nobody else was armed at the scene, the criminal complaint said. 

The shooting remains under investigation.