Man Charged After Shots Fired During Philadelphia Drug Warrant Raids

Shots Fired as Officers Execute Warrant in Northeast Philadelphia

On Thursday, January 15, 2026, at around 6 a.m., narcotics agents with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia Police, Bucks County detectives and Bensalem Police executed a search warrant at a home on the 3800 block of Fairdale Road in Philadelphia.

Investigators announced their presence and attempted to ram through the front door of the residence. According to the criminal complaint, they then heard a shot fired from inside the home. The investigators retreated, again announced their presence, and a second shot was fired from inside, officials said. The investigators retreated a second time, established a perimeter around the property, and called for the occupant, identified as 26-year-old Nicholas Sperando of Philadelphia, to leave the home.

Investigators stated that approximately five to eight minutes later, Sperando opened the garage door and was taken into custody. No resistance at that point is described in the complaint.

Weapons, Drugs and Cash Seized on Fairdale Road

After Sperando’s arrest, police searched the Fairdale Road home. According to the criminal complaint, investigators found a semiautomatic pistol with a live round protruding from the chamber, fired cartridge casings, a live round, an AR-style rifle, and a 9mm Glock handgun with an extended magazine. They also reported locating drug paraphernalia, cash, and bullet holes in an interior wall oriented toward a neighbor’s home as well as in one of the doors.

Officials stated that the search followed a Bucks County investigation that began in September 2025. According to the complaint, Bucks County officials used an informant who contacted Sperando through social media and met him to buy marijuana. Investigators reported that one marijuana transaction occurred between the informant and Sperando in Northeast Philadelphia, followed by a second marijuana deal in Levittown, Pennsylvania, in December 2025, and a third deal in Northeast Philadelphia in January 2026.

Officials said marijuana purchased in those controlled buys was sent to a lab for analysis. Investigators then obtained search warrants for three Philadelphia addresses connected to Sperando.

Second Warrant on Day Street Leads to Additional Arrest

Around the same morning of January 15, 2026, investigators executed another search warrant at a second home on the 1200 block of Day Street in Philadelphia. During that search, investigators reported finding 19-year-old David Tierney in an upstairs bathroom attempting to flush pills and a white powdery substance, described in the criminal complaint as believed to be cocaine, down the toilet. Tierney was taken into custody without incident.

At the Day Street location, police searched a van and a trailer registered to Sperando. According to the complaint, investigators found large quantities of suspected marijuana, drug paraphernalia, cash, and a loaded gun located under a pillow on a bed.

Third Warrant on James Street Recovers More Drugs and Guns

Later that same morning, investigators executed a third search warrant at another Philadelphia residence affiliated with Sperando on the 9200 block of James Street. During this search, officials reported seizing additional marijuana, more firearms, including a Mossberg pump shotgun, and more drug paraphernalia.

Charges and Custody Status

Authorities charged Nicholas Sperando, 26, of Philadelphia, with attempted murder, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, and other related offenses. He is being held in the Bucks County Jail after a judge denied bail.

Investigators stated that Tierney is charged with manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, conspiracy, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Officials said Tierney is also being held in the Bucks County Jail after failing to post bail.

According to police, they are continuing to search for additional individuals who may have been involved in the drug and gun sales linked to these investigations.