A suspected gunman caused chaos in a Pennsylvania town Wednesday, causing a house to go up in flames, authorities said.
According to reports, officers from three different local departments responded to a call in East Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, after an 11-year-old boy was reported to have been shot. District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. Two police officers were reportedly injured in a gunfight with the suspect.
After officers arrived on the scene around 3:45 p.m., the suspect allegedly shot and killed two officers. Lansdowne Police Department (LPD) and another from East Lansdowne Police Department (ELPD); Stollsteimer said before running into the house. Upper Darby police immediately pulled the officers to a safe location. (Related article: Gunman injures 4 people at Walmart, shoots himself)
“Those officers are alive today because of the Upper Darby Police Department who responded to that call. They were pulled from danger by Upper Darby police officers.” Stollsteimer said.
The two injured officers, who have not been identified, are both in stable condition and received one bullet in the arm and one in the leg, according to the Director of Policy and Public Engagement for the Delaware County District Attorney's Office. Margie Macaboy according to Up to 6ABC.
About 15 minutes after the gunfight, a fire started inside the house where the suspect had taken refuge, Stollsteimer said. Video footage posted online showed the house going up in flames as firefighters tried to bring the incident under control.
🚨#breaking news: Situation of gunman Two police officers and a child were shot and killed while setting a house on fire, causing chaos ⁰⁰📌#eastlandsdown | #PA
Multiple law enforcement agencies are currently responding to a chaotic situation where a shooting occurred… pic.twitter.com/xz8A2oBa6p
— RAWSALETS (@rawsalerts) February 7, 2024
According to 6ABC, authorities from multiple departments helped residents evacuate nearby homes as the fire spread. (Related article: FBI misleads Americans about how often armed citizens stop active shooters, gun violence experts say)
“I just came out of the store and I heard a lot of gunshots and about 10 minutes later I smelled smoke. And I just saw cops coming everywhere and running around wearing vests and stuff.” , one resident said. “I heard (them) yelling, 'Active shooter, get in the house. Barricades, don't come out,'” a neighbor told the publication.
Firefighters were able to extinguish hot spots about two hours after the fire first broke out, 6ABC reported.
According to 6ABC, authorities have not yet confirmed whether the suspect was still in the home at the time of the fire and whether the initial report about the missing 11-year-old was true.
“We don't know who the occupants are. We don't know who the culprits are at this point. We don't know how many people are there or if they're even still alive.” Stollsteimer said.
