Two officers in building with Philadelphia gunman freed

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Police say two officers who were in a building with a gunman barricaded inside a northern Philadelphia home have been “safely evacuated” by a police SWAT team.

Sgt. Eric Gripp said shortly after 9:30 p.m. that the suspect was “still armed and inside” the house. There was no immediate word on how the officers were freed. Earlier, six officers were struck by gunfire but were in stable condition and others were injured responding to the scene.

Commissioner Richard Ross said officers were serving a narcotics warrant at the home and had already entered when gunfire erupted. Ross said the gunman fired multiple rounds and officers returned fire. He said many “had to escape through windows and doors to get (away) from a barrage of bullets.”

Ross said officers had been calling the gunman and trying to communicate with him with a bullhorn, but he had not responded.