Suspect Shot, Killed By SWAT Officer After Firing At Police In South Philadelphia, Officials Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police say a man wanted on an arrest warrant was shot and killed by a SWAT officer after the suspect first opened fire on officers. The shooting happened on the 1900 block of South Bancroft Street in South Philadelphia around 6:25 p.m. Tuesday.
"I just heard a couple gunshots, like a couple in a row," a neighbor said.
Tuesday night, Philadelphia police and SWAT officers swarmed this South Philadelphia neighborhood after a knock to serve an arrest warrant turned into a deadly shooting.
"This just speaks to the level of gun violence that we continue to see in the city. We flipped the calendar to a new year but it's an arbitrary thing," Philadelphia Police Sgt. Eric Gripp said.
The gunfire erupted on the 1900 block of Bancroft Street just before 6:30 Tuesday night.
Police say it stemmed from a domestic aggravated assault hours earlier where one individual pointed a handgun at someone else.
Officers, along with SWAT, showed up to serve an arrest warrant connected to that assault when they say a man inside opened fire.
"As they came up to a doorway on the property the door was partially ajar and they were able to see the offender. They knocked on the door and told him to come outside at which point he produced a handgun and fired at least three shots at our SWAT officers," Gripp said.
That's when officials say one SWAT officer discharged multiple rounds, striking the man multiple times throughout the body. Officers took him to Jefferson Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
"It's entirely too easy, too many folks have access to these dangerous weapons and unfortunately we end up with situations like this," Gripp said.
Officers were on scene for hours combing through evidence as their investigation continued. Neighbors were in shock that the violence hit so close to home.
"It's crazy. I thought I was in a safe area. I moved here this month and I've never seen anything like this before," Nadine Taing said.
The SWAT officer who fired his weapon is on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
No officers were injured. There is no word on the suspect's identity.
