By Associated Press - Tuesday, March 3, 2020

LEOLA, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say a man accused of opening fire on FBI agents, prompting an all-day standoff in the eastern Pennsylvania city of Reading, was being sought as a person of interest in multiple shootings in the city over the past few months.

FBI authorities announced Tuesday morning that 37-year-old Rafael Vega-Rodriguez was taken into custody overnight at an address in Leola in neighboring Lancaster County, where he once lived, and will be facing a charge of assault on a federal officer.

Authorities alleged Monday morning that he had opened fire on FBI agents at about midnight Sunday, and they returned fire. Neither the agents nor the suspect were injured, but an unidentified associate of his was hospitalized with a gunshot wound not considered life-threatening.

The ensuing standoff locked down part of a Reading neighborhood until 6 p.m. Monday. FBI agents in full tactical gear and police searched several properties without finding the suspect. The FBI said in a Twitter post that a $10,000 reward was being offered in the case.

It’s unclear whether Vega-Rodriguez has an attorney; a message couldn’t be left Tuesday at a number listed for him.

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