Pittsburgh Gunman Dead After Firing Hundreds of Rounds at Police Who Tried to Evict Him

The active shooter who barricaded himself inside a Pittsburgh home, leading to an "extremely active shooting" with police, has been killed according to authorities.

A law enforcement source identified the gunman as 63-year-old William “Bill” Hardison, Sr., according to local station WPXI.

The Allegheny County sheriff told the station that the suspect was pronounced dead at 5:08 p.m., nearly seven hours after the shootout started.

Court documents reveal that Hardison, Sr. had been illegally squatting in the Garfield neighborhood home for five months, the outlet reported.

It's suspected a family member owned the residence.

Deputies attempted to serve an eviction notice on Wednesday morning. However, the suspect barricaded himself inside and fired shots. No law enforcement officials were injured by the gunfire.

Authorities believe the gunman used a military-style long gun to shoot at officers. The encounter involved the exchange of hundreds of rounds during an hours-long standoff, prompting the deployment of multiple drones and a robot, according to the station.

Law enforcement officials identified Hardison, Sr. as a sovereign citizen – an anti-government extremist – who believed he was above the law.

The outlet reported that neighbors described him as violent, volatile, and unpredictable. Notably, he boarded up the home's windows with large “do not disturb” signs.

“He's just not a nice person to be around," one neighbor said. "You didn't feel safe talking to him.”

According to the station, Hardison, Sr. previously pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct, fleeing police, harassment, and firearms violations.

Residents in the area were evacuated for safety during the standoff.