A man was fatally shot Thursday Night after West Chester Township police responded to an apartment complex following reports of a woman screaming for help inside a unit, according to a release from the West Chester Police Department. Officers were dispatched at approximately 9:50pm to an apartment on Zinnia Court at the Springs at West Chester after a neighboring resident called 911 reporting distress coming from inside the residence. Upon arrival, officers attempted to make contact with the occupants by knocking on the door and announcing their presence. Investigators said that based on information gathered at the scene and concerns for the welfare of potential occupants, officers forced entry into the apartment. During a protective sweep of the residence, officers encountered an adult male inside a bedroom. An officer-involved shooting occurred during that encounter. The male was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin. No officers were seriously injured in the incident. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been requested to conduct an independent review of the shooting, which officials said is standard procedure for officer-involved shooting cases. Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser also has a policy that refers all police involved shooting cases to a grand jury for review. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Officials said additional details will be released when they can be disclosed without compromising the investigation.

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