Philadelphia police have the suspect in the shootings of at least six officers in custody after he allegedly opened fire in the north part of the city on Wednesday.
The officers were later released from hospital; one officer was taken in for injuries that were sustained in a vehicle crash related to this incident, however.
WATCH: Police, SWAT surround building in Philadelphia after 5 officers injured in shooting
The suspect was believed to be armed and barricaded inside a row house in the Nicetown-Tioga area, specifically at 3700 15th Street, CNN reported.
Two police officers previously inside were “safely evacuated” by SWAT personnel, Gripp tweeted at around 9:30 p.m. ET.
The shooting began following a drug raid at a home.
Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross said officers had repeatedly tried to contact the suspect.
“We are trying to talk to this male, trying to let him know he can end this peacefully now,” he said at a news conference.
“We called him multiple times, he has picked up the phone a couple of times but he hasn’t answered.”
Ross described the situation as a “very volatile” one, in which shooting took place even as he arrived on scene.
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“He fired multiple rounds that struck the SWAT truck,” Ross said.
“We’re trying to communicate that we want him out safely, even going so far to tell him that officers are going to be OK, that there’s nothing we can’t work through, but right now we aren’t successful.”
Authorities say police were serving a warrant before shots rang out in the Nicetown-Tioga area at around 4:30 p.m.
A large contingent of police officers descended on the north Philadelphia neighbourhood.
Live video showed dozens of police cars and officers, many with their guns drawn.
One officer appeared injured and was taken away in a police car. Video also showed two other officers carrying a man and putting him in the back of a police car.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gripp told media outlets to stop broadcasting officers’ tactical positions and asked the public to avoid the area as a suspect was still firing.
Temple University’s Health Sciences Center Campus, which is located in the area, was temporarily under lockdown.
The lockdown was lifted at about 7 p.m. ET.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday evening, Philadelphia’s mayor Jim Kenney said he had spoken with the injured officers.
“They’re all in good spirits and obviously it was a very traumatic experience for them,” he said.
“We’re thankful, a little angry about someone having all that weaponry and all of that fire power, but we’ll get to that another day,” he continued. “It’s all about the officers and their families right now.”
The shooting came just a week and a half after gunmen opened fire on crowds in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.
Thirty-one people were killed in the massacres.
Gripp warned media and citizens not to operate drones where police have gathered.
–With files from the Associated Press
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