An officer escaped injury when a bullet fired through a wall pierced his uniform while he responded to a domestic dispute between a man and a woman in Penn Township, Westmoreland County (PA).
“This is one of those scenarios that we are very lucky to have gotten out of the way we did,” said Penn Township police Chief John Otto.
Police said the gunfire broke out just after 7:15 p.m. Wednesday as officers were knocking on the front door of a home. A man inside the house on Thomas Street, later identified as Jody Martz, fired a shot that went through an exterior wall and pierced the officer’s uniform, but didn’t hit the officer, police said.
“The officer’s uniform shirt was struck where the uniform sags in the armpit, caught that portion of the uniform and continued along its way,” said Otto.
Martz was taken into custody and charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and several other crimes. Police said Martz admitted to drinking alcohol and taking prescription medication before the incident.