LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Northampton County District Attorney’s Office says that the officer who shot and killed an armed man after a 3-hour long standoff in Lower Saucon Township was justified. 

On March 25 at approximately 10:30 a.m., Lower Saucon Township Police Department (LSTPD) received a call for a welfare check involving a 37-year-old man at a home on Applebutter Road.

Dispatchers said that the man was armed and expressing suicidal ideation.

Once on scene, dispatchers informed LSTPD that another member of the man’s family was located in the attached garage of the house, according to the DA’s office. 

After the police arrived, a perimeter was established around the home. The man then began firing numerous rounds from a rifle, striking several police vehicles, officials said.

The man also made threats to shoot the police officers on scene, the DA’s office said. 

The Pennsylvania State Police Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) responded to the scene. The SERT team was successful in extracting the family member from the detached garage by use of an armored vehicle, authorities said. 

Officials say that the man remained barricaded in his home for over a 3-hour period.

Intermittently, he would discharge additional rounds from inside the house in the direction of law enforcement, the DA’s office said.

It was apparent to law enforcement that the man was utilizing different firearms, including a 30-06 hunting rifle and an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle, according to officials. 

Also, during this period, the man would frequently communicate by cell phone with the 911 Center and other third parties, in which he expressed his dislike for police, a desire to shoot police, and his intention to get into the woods, the DA’s office said. 

The SERT team attempted to negotiate the man’s surrender. The man failed to agree to surrender or to comply with a surrender plan offered by SERT, investigators said.

At 12:35 p.m., the man exited the home from a side door and moved through the backyard while holding the AR-15 rifle as he approached the wooded area where police had established the rear perimeter, officials said.

In response, SERT issued multiple surrender commands; however, the man failed to comply or even recognize the commands, according to the DA’s office.

As the man continued walking towards the wooded area, a member of the SERT team shot him, authorities said.

Aid was immediately rendered to the man, but he succumbed to his injuries, officials said.

A search warrant was obtained and the entire area was processed.

In this case, review of the materials indicates that the man made multiple threats to police that he would use his firearms to shoot police officers, the DA’s office said.

Officials say that the man discharged numerous rounds towards the police officers who had established a perimeter around the house.

After the man exited his home, he ignored commands to lay down his rifle and to surrender, and instead continued to approach police while he possessed an AR-15 styled rifle, according to authorities. 

After a review of all investigative materials, the Northampton County District Attorney has determined that the officers involved were justified in using deadly force during this incident, officials said. 

No criminal charges are appropriate and no criminal charges will be approved by the DA’s office, according to officials. 

No police officers were hit by the man’s bullets.Â