'Person of interest' in NJ hotel shooting killed by PA police

🔴 A man & woman were found shot to death in a Gloucester City hotel room Monday

🔴 A "person of interest" shot two men who laughed at him in Philadelphia Thursday

🔴 Police tracked him 70 miles away to Berks County where he was shot to death by police

GLOUCESTER CITY — A man wanted in the shooting deaths of two people in a New Jersey hotel room Monday night was killed days later in a standoff with police in Pennsylvania.

Police and firefighters responding to a fire alarm in a room at the Rodeway Inn on Route 130 in Gloucester City around 6:30 p.m found the bodies of Tabitha Price, 56, of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Steven Smith, 52, of Atco, according to Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay. A fire was found in a neighboring room.

MacAulay did not disclose the relationship between Price and Smith.

Investigators on Wednesday identified Vaughn Perkins, 53, of Philadelphia, as the person responsible for setting the fire and charged him with second-degree aggravated arson. MacAulay also identified him as a person of interest in the shooting of Price and Smith.

Taney Terrace in South Philadelphia (CBS Philadelphia)

Perkins spotted on Thursday

A man matching Perkins' description in South Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon fired at two men sitting on a porch around 4:30 p.m., according to Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Robert L. Bailey.

Police issued a description of the suspect and vehicle and tracked him 70 miles away to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, near the Berkshire Mall.

The man led police on a brief pursuit after officers tried to pull him over for a traffic stop, according to Bailey. He pulled off a street and drove into the backyard of a house where his car became disabled.

Police surrounded the vehicle as the man, who had a rifle across his chest, refused to get out. Several officers fired at the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Berks County District Attorney John Adams would not disclose what prompted the officers to fire or if the man fired at police citing the ongoing investigation.

"A very dangerous person was taken off the streets last evening. I am not certain of his motive but he was on a very violent one-man crime spree," Adams said.

Berks County District Attorney John Adams would not confirm the suspect's identity as Perkins pending notification of family.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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