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Investigation into a York County man’s shootout with state police puts troopers on leave

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Four Pennsylvania State Troopers are on administrative leave as the shooting investigation continues into what led a...

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- Four Pennsylvania State Troopers are on administrative leave as the shooting investigation continues into what led a man to open fire on police.

A 79-year-old York County man was killed after police say he fired a weapon at State Troopers, Monday morning.

Just after 3:30 Monday morning, police said York County 911 received a call from an elderly man, threatening to harm any law enforcement or emergency crews who might show up at his house.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Brent Miller said "we take every call seriously, when troopers respond to, and in turn, one situation is not handled differently than the other. Especially in today's world, you never know what you're going to encounter."

With two prior calls made to police officials, the man was no stranger to law enforcement.

"The individual suffers from mental health issues. In turn, when they responded, the individual exited the residence, and began firing at troopers who in turn, fired back," Miller said.

He died at the scene. The York County Coroner's office identified the man as 79-year-old Robert Becker. And now the State Police internal affairs Major Case Team is investigating to make sure the shooting incident was handled by the book.

"Our forensic service unit is on scene, conducting evidence gathering to help them in that process and even our reconstruction units are on scene to reconstruct the scene," Miller said.

Troopers also searched the man's house. No one else was home, and no one else was injured in the shooting.

"Each incident is taken very seriously, and we are very fortunate today that no trooper was injured," Miller said.

Meanwhile, an autopsy will be performed on Becker at Lehigh Valley Hospital on Wednesday.

 

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