Police: Armed man wounded, 2 officers hit but saved by vests

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police say an overnight standoff with an armed man barricaded in a Philadelphia home ended when he was shot and wounded by officers who had been fired upon and struck by bullets in their protective vests.

First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford told WPVI-TV that officers were called to the Germantown home at about 4 p.m. Saturday after a report of an armed man and were given access to the property by a relative but were fired upon by the man.

Officials say the barricade situation lasted overnight into Sunday, and SWAT negotiators tried to talk with the man but at some point they lost communication with him. Stanford said they were concerned about the man’s safety and went inside Sunday morning and found him on the third floor when he opened fire.

Stanford said two officers were hit but “luckily in their vest area and so they were saved by their vest.“ They returned fire, striking the man and he was transported to the hospital, he said. WPVI-TV reported that the two SWAT officers were treated at Temple University Hospital and later released.

The condition of the man taken from the home wasn’t immediately known.

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