A 43-year-old North Whitehall Township man was killed by Allentown police after he pointed his gun at them at 8:31 a.m. May 21 in the 700 block of N. 19th St., Allentown.

Joseph M. Hodgin, 2507 Levans Road, Coplay, reportedly robbed a pharmacy at 4117 Main St., Whitehall, then fled toward Allentown in a white pickup.

Hodgin was pronounced dead 9:22 a.m. in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said.

His death is attributed to gunshot wounds to the body, Grim said. The manner of his death is pending investigation.

According to information provided by Allentown Police Chief Glen Dorney, the clerk at the pharmacy was shot during the robbery.

Allentown police spotted the white pickup at 10th and Chew streets and attempted to stop the truck, as it matched the description in the Whitehall robbery and shooting.

As Allentown police radioed for help and in the course of fleeing, the pickup trammed two Allentown police cars and was eventually stopped at 19th and Green streets.

When Allentown police attempted to secure Hodgin, he allegedly pointed his gun at them.

Allentown police fired and hit Hodgin.

According to Whitehall Township Police Chief Michael Marks, on May 23, the man shot inside the pharmacy was the owner. Marks said the owner’s condition was stable and was improving.

No officers were injured in the shooting but one officer suffered minor injuries from his car being rammed by Hodgin’s truck.

This case is being investigated by the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s office, and the Allentown and Whitehall police departments.

According to a news release from Whitehall Township police, a robbery took place May 17 at Dunkin’ Donuts, 2364 MacArthur Road.

Officers responded around 9 a.m. to a call that a white male had displayed a handgun and demanded money. He then fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. Additionally, around 12:30 p.m. May 19 at Sunoco, 2304 MacArthur Road, township officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in which a male also displayed a handgun and demanded money.

He fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash, the release stated.

Whitehall Township Police Lt. James L. Lucus said the robberies at Dunkin’ Donuts and Sunoco may be related and Chief Marks told The Press all three robberies may be related.