A 25-year-old resident of Philadelphia had his door kicked in by two men impersonating police officers, but when they threatened to kill him as they zip-tied his hands, he realized something was afoot.
The resident, who had a license to carry, acted quickly to free his hands. Pulling out his own gun he shot at the nearest intruder who wore a fake police badge around his neck.
“I pulled out and shot right at him and that’s it, the 25-year-old told Fox 29. Then he added that everyone who can legally own a gun ought to buy one citing the surging crime in Philadelphia which is on track to record five times as many instances of defensive gun use year-over-year. “Everybody who abides by the law should get one.”
The suspect was shot in the head, arm, and chest and pronounced dead at Jefferson Torresdale hospital, police say. Police are searching for the other suspect and have located cameras in the neighborhood to help with their investigation.
“They tied his hands with zip ties around his back and threatened to kill him if he made any sudden moves. That’s when our victim realized these individuals were not police officers,” Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told WPVI-TV.
Police briefly detained the victim and his girlfriend, who was upstairs at the time of the shooting, but quickly released them. No charges have been filed.
Fox 29 reports:
According to Chief Inspector Scott Small, the deceased victim, who had a fake police badge around his neck, and another man approached an apartment where a 25-year-old was coming out.
Small says the two men said they were police officers and forced their way inside the apartment.
Officials say the suspects threatened to shoot and kill the 25-year-old as they were attempting to zip tie his hands.
When the resident realized the two men were not police officers, he pulled out his own gun and shot one of the suspects, killing him, authorities say.