Cops: Gunman flees scene of West Babylon house fire, later shot

Firefighters responding to a house fire in West Babylon Saturday evening entered the home to find a man holding a shotgun, police said Sunday.

The firefighters exited the home, the man fled, still holding the gun, and minutes later the gunman was shot in what Suffolk County police called "a confrontation" with officers.

The man was critically wounded in the incident, police said. He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.

No police or firefighters were injured.

The identity of the gunman has not been released.

Police said Sunday morning they could not say if the man threatened firefighters and officers, if the man fired at firefighters or officers or if the man simply threatened firefighters and officers. They also could not say how many shots were fired by police or how many shots struck the shotgun-wielding man. It was not clear if the man owned the home, was a resident or an intruder.

Police said the fire was reported at the home on 4th Street at 6:35 p.m. and said firefighters from the West Babylon Fire Department responded.

Calls to the fire department were not immediately returned Sunday and Suffolk fire officials, citing the investigation, said they could not immediately comment on details.

But police said that when firefighters entered the burning home they encountered a man armed with a shotgun - and immediately exited the house.

Police said the man then exited the home with the gun and was later stopped by officers near the intersection of 6th Street and 10th Avnue. Though police could not immediately provide additional details a map shows the armed man would had to have crossed both Route 109 and Straight Path to reach the intersection.

Near the corner of 6th and 10th police said there was "a confrontation with police" and said the man was shot.

It was not clear how badly the home was damaged by the fire or if the fire is considered to be suspicious. Police said the incident is under investigation.