State Police and the Montgomery County District Attorney's office are investigating a deadly shooting involving an off-duty transit officer. It happened at Miller and Ott roads in Perkiomen Township around 7:30 last night. The victim, Joseph McNair, was found shot several times inside his car.

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An off-duty SEPTA police sergeant, whose names authorities aren't releasing, admitted to shooting his neighbor in self-defense. Police say it's not the first time they've been called to the area. >> "I've been troop commander since April, 2007, and I've been called out to this area twice now. I guess anything can happen in any neighborhood.... you obviously wouldn't expect it in a neighborhood like this, but it can happen. >> According to police, the sergeant told detectives he had just left his house to pick up his daughter from soccer practice. They say he was about to turn right onto Ott Road from Miller when he was nearly struck by a gray Pontiac being driven by McNair. Police say McNair drove by, then backed up and got out of his car and began threatening the sergeant, repeatedly saying, ""You’re not built for this. I’ll blow you away." The sergeant told detectives that McNair then leaned in through the open driver’s front door of his car. Believing McNair was about to pull out a gun and kill him, the sergeant said he pulled out his handgun from inside his waistband and shot McNair. The sergeant then called 911. McNair was taken to Pottstown Hospital, where he died a short time later. The sergeant told police that McNair lived next door to him and that there had been an ongoing problem with him and several other neighbors. Police say McNair had a lengthy criminal history. The sergeant, a police officer for 22 years, was taken to the State Police barracks in Skippack to provide a written statement about what happened.

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