EAST LANSDOWNE, PA – A heavy police presence has flooded the streets of East Lansdowne, Delaware County, following an active shooter situation that resulted in two officers being shot, according to sources.
The incident unraveled on Wednesday when police were dispatched to a residential area along Lewis Avenue for reports of multiple gunshots. The area is in close proximity to Pembroke Avenue and Baltimore Avenue.
Two officers on the scene, one from the Lansdowne Police and the other from East Lansdowne Police, sustained gunshot injuries during the incident, the Delaware County District Attorney’s office confirmed. One officer was hit in the leg, while the other took a bullet to the arm.
Fortunately, both officers are in stable condition and are currently being treated at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, the District Attorney’s office said.
The vicinity around Penn Presbyterian is heavily guarded by authorities, and the road at Presbyterian is cordoned off. Law enforcement from Philly, Upper Darby, and Haverford Township have beefed up security at the hospital. District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer is reportedly due to visit the hospital.
Curiously, flames were spotted engulfing the residence from which the gunshots reportedly came. The cause of this fire is yet unknown, and the billowing smoke, moving southward at speeds of 5 to 10 mph, has been detected on the radar.
As per sources, authorities believe that the shooter is probably holed up inside the flaming house, dubbing it a ‘barricade situation’. At least three SWAT trucks have been deployed to the confrontation.