An armed man died of a 'self-inflicted gunshot' after a five-hour standoff with Philadelphia police in a wooded area of Roxborough, police said Saturday morning.
Believed to be armed with 29 guns, the unidentified man barricaded himself inside a house on River Road in Roxborough, and police show down the road.
Several residents along River Road have been told to "shelter in place." Residents in homes across the Schuylkill River in Gladwyne, Montgomery County were also told by police to remain inside.
Police on scene have told NBC10 that as many as 70 gunshots have been fired as of 9 a.m. in an incident that began shortly after 5 a.m. The man barricaded inside a house has not been identified, but police said they visited the house previously for a nuisance call.
Nearby public transit, including the Regional Rail line to Norristown, has also been shut down. The two-lane road runs between the train tracks and the Schuylkill River. The incident is near the city border with Montgomery County.
The nearest cross streets with the rural-looking road are Shawmont and Port Royal avenues.
Police boats patrolled the river as SWAT teams surrounded the house from the road. Homeland Security units arrived shortly before 9 a.m.
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It remains unclear what prompted the standoff. A woman who knows the man also was seen getting in a police vehicle and driving toward the house.
This is a developing story. Check back as details become known.
