Scranton Police Officer Dies After Fall During Robbery Arrest

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A police officer is dead after suffering a head injury in a fall while trying to capture three teenage robbery suspects.

Scranton police say 29-year-old Patrolman John Wilding died Sunday morning.

Police chief Carl Graziano says Wilding and other officers were called to investigate an armed robbery at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday in West Scranton. Graziano says a witness reported seeing Wilding jump a fence during the chase and fall down a 15-foot drop.

Three 17-year-old suspects are in custody. All face charges including robbery.

Wilding's sister, Patrice, a staff writer for The (Scranton) Times-Tribune, asked for privacy. She said Wilding was married with two children, ages 3 and 7.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)