EAST LANSDOWNE, Pennsylvania – A tragic incident in East Lansdowne, Delaware County, has left authorities suspecting that a family was killed by a relative who also shot and wounded two police officers, a prosecutor said Friday. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer stated that six sets of remains were found in the ashes of a fire that destroyed the home in East Lansdowne on Wednesday.
Stollsteimer indicated that Canh Le, 43, is believed to have killed his niece and possibly the other family members as well, before also dying himself. He mentioned that the surviving family members have been in shock, and no motive has been identified.
The tragic incident began with a 911 call reporting that a child had been shot, and gunfire could be heard during the call. The home then erupted in flames, leaving two police officers injured and the structure severely damaged.
The second injured officer, 44-year-old Officer John Meehan of the East Lansdowne Police Department, was released from the hospital on Friday afternoon, receiving a hero’s welcome and a display of support from fellow officers. The first wounded officer, 54-year-old Lansdowne Police Officer David Schiazza, was discharged the previous day.
Authorities revealed that Canh Le had a prior arrest in 2006 in Delaware County, but details of the incident were not immediately available. The tragic loss of the family, as well as the brave actions of the police officers, has left the community in mourning and shock.
Efforts to recover bodies and evidence from the burned house are ongoing, with authorities piecing together the tragic events that led to the loss of multiple lives. The community is now in the process of healing from the devastation as they come to terms with the loss of their fellow residents.
The heartbreaking incident has left the community in grief, with neighbors, friends, and law enforcement mourning the loss of the family and supporting the injured officers. The details of the tragic event are still unfolding as authorities continue their investigation into the devastating incident.