South Whitehall Township police officers on Wednesday shot and killed a 73-year-old man who was advancing toward them with a firearm and refused orders to stop, authorities said.
The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. at a home in the 100 block of North 38th Street. Officers were called to the scene after a 911 caller reported a man with a gun, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
According to the release, the officers were confronted by a man holding what appeared to be a rifle.
“The man advanced towards the officers, who gave several commands for him to drop the weapon,” the release said. “The man refused to drop the weapon. Officers used less-than-lethal force against the man, which did not stop him from advancing toward the officers. Approximately six rounds were fired by the officers, which resulted in the man’s death.”
A preliminary investigation indicates the man was suffering from long-term health issues, the release said, adding that a note was found inside the home after his death. The contents of the note were not disclosed.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said the man’s identity is known and his family was present at the scene, but he is withholding the name for now to allow the family to grieve privately.
An autopsy will be conducted Friday, Buglio said.
