Barricaded Man Who Shot At Police In Montco Died By Suicide: Police

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP, PA — A local man who was found dead inside his burning home after he engaged police in an hours-long, overnight standoff in late July had died by suicide, police officials confirmed.

Robert Ray Wagner, 50, of Perkiomenville, fatally shot himself back on July 30 after barricading himself inside the home on the 200 block of Little Road in New Hanover Township.

Patch previously reported on the incident.

Related: Montco Man Dies After Firing At Police During Barricade Situation

New Hanover Township Police Chief Kevin McKeon told Patch that investigators determined Wagner died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The cause of the fire at the home during the incident has not yet been determined, and Pennsylvania State Police officials are reportedly continuing to work to find what may have caused the house to go up in flames.

"It's a tragic story," McKeon told Patch. "A person in our community died."

New Hanover Township is a community of just over 13,000 people, he said. McKeon did not personally know Wagner.

McKeon said Wagner's wife told police that her husband had been depressed, drinking heavily and on medication.

The initial call came in as a domestic incident, McKeon said.

McKeon said the wife was not hurt in the incident and that she had been removed from the home early on during the standoff.

"The wife and son were very, very nice people and I just feel so bad for them," McKeon said.

McKeon said Wagner's family has no idea why he would have fired at officers and caused such an incident.

According to an obituary, Wagner was a U.S. Military veteran who served with the Marines during Dessert Storm.

His obituary says that he later reenlisted in the Army Reserves.

Wagner, who was married with one child, three stepchildren and one grandchild, was known to enjoy traveling, and loved cats and trucks.

Services were scheduled to be private.

McKeon had previously issued a statement on the July 29-30 incident at Wagner's home, saying that police had been called out for a reported domestic incident, and upon arrival officers were immediately fired at by Wagner from inside the residence.

Patrol officers initially took cover and called SWAT team members, who came out and assisted throughout the night in trying to get Wagner to peacefully surrender.

A fire broke out at around 6 the next morning, and after firefighters put out the blaze authorities discovered Wagner's deceased body inside.