One man is dead and another is in police custody after a car stop turned into a police chase, followed by a two-hour standoff that turned violent in Bensalem Friday evening
Police conducted a vehicle stop on a vehicle for a window tint violation in the area of ​​Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway around 5:30 p.m. Friday when the driver and his passenger refused to cooperate, said Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey .
The men told police they were armed and indicated they were not going back to jail before fleeing the scene, McVey said.
One man is dead and another is in custody after a two-hour standoff on Route 13 in Bensalem turned violent on Friday, January 24, 2024.
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Bensalem and Pennsylvania State Police pursued the vehicle on Route 1, briefly along Interstate-95 and then back on Route 1 before the vehicle was stopped at Bristol Pike and Penn Street near the Liberty Gas station in the Andalusian section of the township, said McVey.
Police cars surrounded the suspect’s vehicle, which then struck at least one police car, McVey said. No officers were injured.
Bensalem SWAT was deployed and the Philadelphia Police SWAT unit also responded to assist, bringing in a BearCat, an armored tactical vehicle used in dangerous situations. Bristol Pike was closed between Biddles Lane and Penn Street during the standoff.
Police attempted to negotiate with those in the car before deploying tear gas in an attempt to end the standoff, McVey said.
When police began a second deployment of tear gas, the driver pulled out a gun and pointed it at officers who responded with gunfire, McVey said.
The driver, whose name was not released, was killed. The unidentified passenger was not injured and was taken into police custody.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
This article originally appeared in Bucks County Courier Times: One dead, another in custody after Bensalem traffic stop turns violent
