A man who allegedly was trying to break into houses and may have been armed with a knife was fatally shot by police Friday afternoon during a physical confrontation in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, police said.
Just before 2:30 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting that a man on the 4100 block of Tyson Avenue was trying to enter houses, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said.
Officers responding to the call were flagged down by someone who pointed out the man on the 7000 block of Frankford Avenue, Vanore said.
The officers attempted to stop the man but he allegedly fled with the police in pursuit, Vanore said.
The chase ended in front of a store, where the man allegedly got into a physical confrontation with the officers.
“At some point during that confrontation, both officers discharged a firearm,” Vanore said.
Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene. His identity was not released.
Vanore said the officers had their body cameras activated, and police were checking video from nearby cameras.
“We know there’s a knife on location here, right by the individual that’s shot,” Vanore said.
Under department policy, the shooting is under internal investigation and the officers who fired their weapons will be reassigned to administrative duty while the investigation is ongoing.