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William 'Bill' Hardison was found shot dead inside his home after he fired at police and SWAT multiple times, according to a police statement at a press conference.
Around 11 a.m. PPS first issued an alert about the "active shooting situation in the city's Garfield neighborhood.
The public was asked to avoid the 4800 block of Broad Street and North Mathilda Street.
One deputy has been injured in the first round of shooting, but he was alert, authorities said.
Around 11:30 a.m., a second alert was issued saying, "This is an extremely active situation with shots continuing to be fired. Please avoid the area at this time."
By 12:15 p.m., officers began evacuating people from the neighborhood. "If you are inside, please shelter in place, dial 911, and identify your address, location," PPS said in a third release.
Negotiators, SWAT, drones, flashbangs, and strategic gunfire were used throughout the day but ultimately Bill refused to leave his home and died in one of the many rounds of shooting shortly before 5 p.m. on Aug 23, police explained.
Bill had a lengthy criminal record which included pleading guilty to fleeing or attempting to elude and disorderly conduct in 2001, serving six months of probation; and to an accident involving death or injury in 2005 for which he served two years probation, court records show.
His last post on Facebook was Wednesday morning.
Most of the hundreds of commenters were urging him to surrender, but one commenter spoke to the background about the eviction:
"They stole his family's home for less than $15,000 required for the bank note to be current. A Garfield gentrification LLC hoodwinked the father (with the urgings of the local leadership) to sell a home valued at least $90,000, for a mere $25,00. Moreover, no one (not the local black leadership nor the black judges in our courts) told him that 'up to $50,000 in pandemic relief' was available at the time of the sell to pay the $15,000 owed to the bank! RIP Black King!"
Daily Voice reached out to authorities but was unable to confirm those details about the eviction.
His community is speaking out after the standoff, and some are calling the incident a "murder."
While other posters are claiming that he "died on his terms," one added, "He truly believed that he was defending his property. In his mind, he refused to be abused by belligerent officials and arbitrarily deprived of his express right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. William "Bill" Hardison Sr. May your travels be light."
No matter what anyone thinks about the tragic ending of this eviction, the police are correct about one thing they said at the press conference, "it will take time for the community to heal from this."
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