Man killed by Upper Darby police, authorities say

An Upper Darby police officer shot and killed a 38-year-old man Friday after a chase that started in a residential neighborhood and ended up on a golf course, authorities said.

The victim’s identity was not released pending notification of next of kin.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said police had been on the lookout for the man since Thursday night, when a woman who had a protection-from-abuse order against him called police to say she feared that he was near and might harm her. The man had outstanding arrest warrants from California, North Carolina, and Las Vegas, on charges including assault and battery, and domestic battery, and was said to be violent, Bernhardt said.

About 12:20 p.m. Friday, Bernhardt said, an officer patrolling in a car near Parkview Road and Pennock Avenue spotted the man and ran after him along a trail that led into a wooded area, then across a bridge over railroad tracks at the SEPTA Parkview train station.

On the other side of the tracks, the man hid in brush along the creek bed on a golf course, then attacked the officer when he approached, Bernhardt said. The two struggled, he said, and the officer shot the man once.

A second officer, who arrived as backup, was also present, but it was not yet clear if he was involved in the struggle, Bernhardt said.

The man was rushed to Lankenau Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:48 p.m., Bernhardt said.

Margie McAboy, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office, said the office and police internal affairs will investigate the shooting.