Police: Officer fatally shoots armed man

From staff reports

State police in Erie said a man armed with an AK-47 was fatally shot by a Warren police officer on Friday night.

According to a state police news release, the incident took place in the parking lot of Dairy Delite at the intersection of Routes 6 and 59 in Mead Township at 7:30 p.m.

According to the release, Warren police responded to a report of a maroon Jeep being driven erratically through the city by 54-year-old Joseph Miller, of Clarendon.

A police officer located the vehicle and followed it across the Glade Bridge, where he attempted to stop the vehicle, state police said. The vehicle continued along the road and pulled into the Dairy Delite parking lot.

At some point during the traffic stop, Miller became agitated and began loading the AK-47 that he had in his vehicle, state police said.

The officer who initiated the stop backed away while issuing verbal commands that Miller ignored as he continued to load the weapon, state police said.

As the suspect exited the vehicle with the weapon, the officer shot and killed the suspect, state police said. Neither the officer nor bystanders were injured.

An investigation is being conducted by state police with the cooperation of Warren police, the Warren County District Attorney’s Office and Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

Volunteer fire departments from Clarendon, Glade and Pleasant assisted at the scene.