Alleged Gunman Hides in Hole of Warehouse Floor: Cops

A man is in custody after police say he shot a Norristown homeowner and then hid inside a hole in the floor of a vacant warehouse.

A man is in custody after police say he shot a Norristown homeowner and then hid inside a hole in the floor of a vacant warehouse.

Investigators say the ordeal began when police responded to a home invasion report around 7:30 a.m. on the 600 block of Astor Street. When they arrived, they say they found the homeowner, Lamont Bell, suffering from a gunshot wound to the left forearm. He was treated at the hospital and is expected to recover.

Bell told police his neighbor chased the shooting suspect on foot but lost him. Bell then provided police a description and told them where he last saw the suspect. Police officers and a K-9 Unit began to search the area and were able to track the suspect at an industrial park on the 100 block of West Marshall Street near an automobile tow yard.

Darnell Anderson, Credit: Pennsylvania Justice Network

Police then reviewed surveillance video showing the suspect walking through Stony Creek. The video showed the man run through the creek, lose a sneaker and remove his Gray hoodie, which police later recovered. The officers then searched a vacant warehouse where they had tracked the suspect.

Investigators say a K-9 dog led them to a hole in the floor of the warehouse. The dog was sent into the hole in an attempt to force the suspect out but police say they didn’t hear any screams or sign of the man. Police then took out the dog and placed gas into the hole but still did not see or hear any signs of the suspect.

Finally, at around 11:45 a.m., two police officers dressed in protective hazmat suits, crawled into the hole where they found the suspect hiding, covered in mud with only underwear and a t-shirt on. Police placed the suspect into custody. While police say the man gave them a fake ID, fingerprinting identified him as Darnell Anderson, 31.

Police say his last known address is Thomas Drive in Union Township, which investigators believe is a prison. According to police, Anderson has a long rap sheet which includes multiple drug charges, attempted criminal murder and aggravated assault.
 

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