Accused Drug Dealers Shoot At Police In Northeast Home As Warrant Is Served
by Alex Lloyd Gross
When police from Bensalem as well as State Troopers were serving a warrant on a home on Fairdale Road, after a drug investigation lead them to that property. This investigation started in Bensalem and Bucks County will have jurisdiction over prosecuting the case. As officers banged on the door, a gunshot rang out. Then another, which went right through the front door, where the officers were standing.
Luckily, no officers were shot. The gun, a FN Herstal 5.7 pistol used in the shooting, was recovered. Police noted that there was a live round jammed in the chamber that likely prevented the defendant from firing even more rounds.
The raid happened January 15, 2026 and was part of a large, multi-agency task force led by the Bucks County Detectives Drug Strike Force and the Bensalem Township Police Special Investigation Unit. The target of the raid was Nicholas Sperando who surrendered to police.
According to Joe Khan , the Bucks County District Attorney ,the Jan. 15 raid, which dismantled a multimillion dollar drug trafficking organization, was the culmination of a monthslong investigation where investigators conducted multiple purchases of controlled substances from Sperando. These transactions occurred in Levittown and Northeast Philadelphia, providing the probable cause necessary for coordinated raids on January 15.
The operation simultaneously targeted other key locations used by the organization. At a stash house on Day Street in Philadelphia, co-defendant David Tierney was apprehended after he was observed attempting to flush pills and suspected cocaine down a toilet as officers arrived. At that location, agents discovered a firearm under a pillow and a trailer filled with enormous quantities of marijuana and THC vapes. A third search at a location on James Street, Sperando’s place of work, yielded a short-barrel Mossberg pump shotgun, a Ruger .380, and a significant supply of psilocybin mushrooms and edibles
David Tierney is held on $250,000 bail. The third target, Nicholas Keenoy, surrendered to authorities on January 27, 2026. (Keenoy was previously arrested in New Jersey on an outstanding warrant but was released by that state after posting cash bail prior to his extradition to Pennsylvania.) Sperando was held without bail.His charges include Attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, Attempted Murder, drug and weapons offenses, police said.
Bucks County District Attorney’s office- photo –Drugs, cash and guns seized by authorities.
“This investigation highlights the real dangers that law enforcement officers face when dealing with illegal drugs and guns. The suspects in this case posed a significant threat to officers, but also the innocent civilians they came in contact with every day,” Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey said. “Thankfully, none of our officers were struck by gunfire that morning. Their training and professionalism led to a successful apprehension. The results of this investigation are commendable, demonstrate the value of law enforcement collaboration, and will make our communities safer.”