Suspect In Custody After Police Chief Shot In Yardley Standoff

Latest update: A suspect has been charged with attempted murder following the shooting and standoff. Click here.

YARDLEY, PA — A police officer was shot in the area of Yardley Commons during a standoff Wednesday in Yardley Borough. A suspect is now in custody, Yardley Borough Police said.

District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said Yardley Police Chief Joseph Kelly III was shot in the hand and ear with a shotgun after responding to an assistance call from Bucks County parole officers late Wednesday morning, around 11 a.m. The complex was in lockdown for a total around 4 hours following the shooting.

Weintraub said that Kelly is in stable condition at St. Mary Medical Center and is fully expected to recover. Police said the standoff in Yardley Commons has concluded, and a suspect is in custody.

"The lockdown has been lifted, but please be attentive to continuing police activity in the Borough," they wrote.

Lower Makefield Police Chief Ken Coluzzi told the Intelligencer that the suspected shooter is well-known to police. He has since been identified as 24-year-old Colin Frank Petroziello. He had been in the condo unit with his mother, who was able to leave through a window after the shooting and prior to law enforcement negotiating entry.

Police had said several hours into the lockdown that they were "attempting to negotiate" but that "there has been no response." Then 6ABC reported audible bangs on the scene at 2:30 p.m. after police attempted to enter the apartment, which Coluzzi confirmed were explosives to clear the doorway after the suspect barricaded entry to the apartment with a couch.

Shortly afterwards, police said that the suspect had been taken into custody.

Sheltering in place was harrowing for residents as information unfolded throughout the afternoon. A resident of the Commons told Patch they saw helicopters and a Humvee outside their home, and that around 11:19 a.m. they heard police yell, "Take cover!" They sat on the floor inside for awhile with lights off.

While some Yardley Commons residents remained in lockdown inside their units, others were able to be evacuated. A nearby daycare and park were evacuated, too, according to reports.

Main Street was closed in the area during the standoff. The borough requested that residents avoid sharing any photographs or videos from the scene of the investigation, and that others avoid the area.

Now, barricades are being removed and entry allowed into the complex.

"Thank you to all for your concern, and thank you to each and every member of the numerous surrounding police departments for their support throughout the event," Yardley Borough Police wrote.

Related: Attempted Murder Charges For Yardley Man In Police Chief Shooting

Stay informed about what’s going on in Yardley, or in your local area. Sign up for Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news.

Got tips, story ideas, or questions in Lower Bucks County? Email kate.fishman@patch.com.