Barricaded man shot by police in Lower East Side building

LOWER EAST SIDE - Police say a man was shot and killed by NYPD officers in a Lower East Side apartment after the suspect allegedly barricaded himself inside the apartment and fired at officers.

The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Kent Edwards, was wanted for questioning by police in connection to an unsolved shooting at a bar on the Upper East Side in October.

Police say that since the shooting, Edwards was couch-surfing for weeks until police tracked him down at the Eldridge Street apartment. 

Edwards allegedly barricaded himself inside the bathroom with a 9mm gun for hours, destroying a drone police sent in to observe him.

Finally, officers entered the apartment and Edwards fired on the officers, hitting one in a ballistic shield and another in his bulletproof vest. 

Officers returned fire, striking Edwards who was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.

Officials say the officers who were fired at will most likely be okay. 

Edwards had 11 prior arrests including the non-fatal shooting and was wanted for rape.

FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green spoke to a resident who lives across the street from the apartment who heard those shots firing off.

"I just heard fireworks, at least that's how it sounded," a neighbor said.  "And after that, we were told just to stay in."