The police chief of Yardley Borough was shot by a man wielding a shotgun Wednesday, as the chief responded to a call for backup from Bucks County probation officers.
Police said the suspect is Colin Petroziello, 24. He was arrested after police officers broke into his apartment with a bang that could be heard by journalists from the street.
He had spent hours Wednesday holed up in an apartment surrounded by SWAT and other law enforcement officers. Yardley residents were urged to shelter in place during the standoff, and a nearby apartment building and day care were evacuated.
Yardley Police Chief Joseph D. Kelly was shot in the hand and ear, said Kenneth Coluzzi, the police chief of Lower Makefield Township. He is being treated at a hospital.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
"He's absolutely extremely lucky to be alive," Coluzzi said. "He never thought that he would encounter a shotgun being pulled and fired at him in this situation."
Later Wednesday, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said he had spoken with Kelly. He "is being treated for injuries but he is being treated very well," Weintraub said. "He is in good and stable condition."
The situation began at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when two Bucks County probation officers went to check on a person at the Yardley Commons apartments. The visit turned into an argument, and the probation officers called for police help.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Kelly responded, as he often does to calls in small Yardley Borough, Coluzzi said.
When Kelly entered the apartment, he was shot by the person inside, who used a shotgun. Kelly was able to get out of the apartment, as was the suspect's mother, who was inside.
Coluzzi said Petroziello is known to police from previous incidents and he was in possession of three guns when he was taken into custody. He will be charged with attempted murder of a police officer.
