Crime
Pottstown Standoff Ends with Officer Injured, Suspect Andrew Ecker Fatally Shot
POTTSTOWN, Pa. — A standoff in Pottstown on Sunday night ended in the fatal shooting of a suspect and the injury of a police officer, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident began around 5:00 p.m. on April 6, 2025, when Pottstown Police responded to a vehicle crash near the intersection of Beech and North Mount Vernon streets.
Authorities say the driver, later identified as 25-year-old Andrew Jackson Ecker, attempted to reach for a .22 caliber firearm at the scene of the crash before fleeing on foot to his residence on Winding Road.
Officers pursued Ecker to his home, where he allegedly opened fire on police, striking one officer in the shoulder.
The injured officer was transported to a hospital in Reading and is reported to be in stable condition.
Following the initial gunfire, Ecker barricaded himself inside the residence, prompting a significant law enforcement response that included SWAT West and officers from multiple jurisdictions.
Negotiators were able to make contact with Ecker with assistance from a family member, but despite extended efforts, he refused to surrender.
At approximately 10:45 p.m., the situation escalated, and Ecker was fatally shot during the standoff.
The specific circumstances surrounding the use of deadly force have not yet been detailed.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has launched an investigation into the incident, including the officer-involved shooting.
Additional details will be released as the investigation progresses.
Authorities have not indicated any ongoing threat to the public.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.