Two Syracuse police officers were shot, and a third officer was injured on Saturday afternoon during a shooting incident at the Pioneer Homes housing complex in Syracuse, New York, authorities said to local media. Police continued exchanging gunfire with the suspect for a period after the initial shooting, according to local reports.
There is an active standoff between the suspected shooter and police officers and other law enforcement. WTEN reported that there are occasional gunshots in the surrounding area.
At a briefing, Chief Mark Rusin stated that the officers’ status is “stable.” Both are likely to recover. A third police officer was injured during the pandemonium, although not by gunfire. The police did not explain the cause of the injuries.
Sharon Owens, the mayor of Syracuse, paid the policemen a personal visit at the neighboring Upstate University Hospital. Owens stated that the recovering officers are in “good spirits” at the briefing with the police chief.
Rusin has further updated that the suspect has now barricaded himself in the apartment complex. (This is at the time of reporting.)
Read more: Syracuse’s Pioneer Homes active shooting: First details out on suspect as SWAT team deployed
Heavy police response and lockdown in the Pioneer Homes area
Dozens of law enforcement vehicles converged on the Pioneer Homes neighborhood as officers attempted to secure the scene. Witness videos circulating online showed heavily armed police units entering the housing complex. Residents in the area reported hearing repeated gunshots and being told to remain indoors.
Local media outlets reported that authorities temporarily blocked roads surrounding the housing development while tactical teams searched for the suspect.
Police have also blocked a portion of Adams Street and Interstate-81. This will affect locals during Syracuse University’s graduation celebrations.
The Central Square School District’s senior ball, which was supposed to take place at the Oncenter later on Saturday night, has been rescheduled due to the current situation in the neighborhood.
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What happened?
According to Rusin, the hazardous standoff started when police responded to complaints of a man threatening people and animals with a machete. The suspect apparently cut a dog using the said machete. When police arrived, someone who appeared to be the suspect started shooting at them when they arrived to search the building.
According to Syracuse.com, they were shot at through an apartment window.
According to the outlet, the two police officers who were shot were transported to Upstate Medical Hospital and are in stable condition.
According to the complaint, a third cop was also hurt but was not shot and was sent to UMH.
