DA Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting In Norristown Tuesday

NORRISTOWN, PA — A police officer shot an armed suspect in Norristown late Tuesday morning, and the District Attorney's Office has opened an investigation into the case. Such investigations are protocol following an officer-involved shooting in the county.

The incident occurred at around 11:23 a.m. near the intersection of Arch and Elm streets in the borough, authorities said.

Police were called to the "disturbance" involving a man with a gun in the area. When officers arrived, the suspect fled on foot. They chased him into the backyard of a nearby home, where an officer fired one shot and hit the suspect in the left shoulder, according to the DA's Office.

The suspect was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital where is now recovering.

The exact nature of the original disturbance is not yet clear. Authorities said that the names of the officer who fired the gun and the suspect will not be released until the investigation is complete.

"The investigation will be fair and thorough," DA Kevin Steele said. "We will determine the circumstances that led up to the shooting and whether the decision by the officer to discharge a firearm was appropriate and lawful in that situation. Our personnel gather evidence and statements and will evaluate everything available."

A similar investigation followed the shooting of an armed robbery suspect in King of Prussia last October.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates as they become available.

Patch file photo