Suspect Shot to End Center City Standoff

Standoff near City Hall ends after police shoot armed man several times after he allegedly shot at officers

A man reportedly fired shots randomly -- even at police -- in Center City Friday morning leading to a standoff near City Hall that ended with the suspect shot.

Police say Amir Bey, 22, of South Philadelphia was armed with a handgun when he stood in front of the Masonic Temple at Broad Street and JFK around 6:30 a.m.

"On my way into work this morning -- about 6:30 -- I could hear on the citywide ban that there was an incident unfolding here in Center City," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told reporters after the incident.

"We had him contained on Broad Street between Arch and JFK."

Officers evacuated the area as SWAT moved in. Roads around the area remained closed as the standoff continued at 6:55 a.m. as Chopper 10 hovered overhead.

Right around 7 a.m., Bey appeared to be hit.

"As SWAT was arriving -- literally pulling up to the scene -- the offender took a shot at police," Ramsey said. "Police responded and returned fire. And he's down."

A short time later the man was loaded onto an ambulance surrounded by about two dozen officers.

Bey is at Hahnemann Hospital in critical condition.

It wasn't unclear what the man was shooting at to start the incident and Ramsey also said he didn't know how many times the man shot at police.

Broad Street from Race to JFK remained closed for nearly seven hours as police investigated the incident.

At 8:15 a.m. SEPTA reported that bus routes around the City Hall -- routes 4, 16, 17, 27, 32, 124 and 125 -- were being detoured.

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NBC10 cameras captured investigators marking dozen of pieces of evidence on the road and sidewalk. An SUV possibly belonging to the alleged gunman as well as a window of the Masonic Temple was shot out.

This was the second police-involved incident in less than 36 hours in Center City. Police shot a teen gunman during July 4th activities on the nearby Ben Franklin Parkway.


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