Did a Delco teen act in self-defense or attack rivals the night Fanta Bility was killed? It’s up to a judge now.

After a long trial over a gunfight between two teens that led to the fatal police shooting of an 8-year-old girl, prosecutors and defense attorneys could agree on only one thing.

The exchange of gunfire between Angelo “AJ” Ford and Hasein Strand in August 2021 set in motion a series of events that ended in tragedy with the death of Fanta Bility.

Lawyers in the case presented dueling characterizations of Ford, now 18 and charged with aggravated assault, attempted murder, and related crimes. Prosecutors say he was the instigator on the gun battle, armed with an illegal weapon and seeking out members of a rival gang. His defense lawyer said he was confronted by an aggressive group of older teens, outnumbered and fearing for his life, and acted in self-defense.

Ford’s fate is now in the hands of Delaware County Court Judge G. Michael Green, who is expected to hand down his verdict next week after Ford’s weeklong bench trial.

Ford’s attorney, Mary Elizabeth Welch, urged the judge to find him not guilty, saying he was threatened that night by Strand and four other teens after a football game in Sharon Hill between Academy Park High School and Pennsbury.

» READ MORE: A year after Fanta Bility’s death, her family is mourning a vibrant child gone too soon

“They were aggressive, and they came at him. The only thing he said back was ‘There’s five of you. I’m alone,’” Welch said. “Under those circumstances, the law doesn’t require someone to wait until they’re shot to defend themselves, because then they might be dead and that’s the opposite of self defense.”

Welch also said that, despite testimony from some eyewitnesses, there was no direct evidence that Ford fired the first shot, as prosecutors, led by First Assistant District Attorney Tanner Rouse, asserted.

“Angelo Ford didn’t shoot at those people, and he didn’t intend to kill anyone, and he didn’t intend to hurt anyone,” Welch said. “He was 15 years old and he was defending himself.”

Rouse told the judge Ford and Strand were affiliated with rival street gangs, and that, not long before the shooting, Ford texted a friend saying he was looking to attack members of the other gang.

Further, he said, evidence from the scene showed Ford followed the group after they walked away from him and fired five shots at them with a .45 caliber handgun.

“He’s 15, but he knows how guns work,” Rouse said. “He knows exactly what he intended to do that night. There were five shots that night, and you are not warning anyone about anything that night with five shots.”

A woman who attended the game with her boyfriend, a friend of Strand’s, testified that she saw Ford approach and argue with the group as they left the stadium. At one point, she said, Ford pulled aside his shirt to show the butt of a handgun tucked into his waistband. The witness also said she saw Strand run to his car, retrieve a handgun, and walk back toward the group.

Other key witnesses, including Ryan Lowden, another teen who argued with Ford that night, gave similar statements to police and before a grand jury, saying Ford shot first and Strand returned fire, accidentally hitting Hafize Sherif, a bystander.

A block away, three Sharon Hill Police officers, Brian Dolan, Patrick Devaney and Devon Smith, heard the gunfire and shot at a car they mistakenly believed was the source of the shooting. One of the bullets missed and struck Fanta in the back. She died in her mother’s arms.

» READ MORE: The family of a girl killed at a Delaware County football game mourn her at her funeral — and also ask for justice

But at trial, those witnesses told the judge they couldn’t recall the events of that night.

Strand, 21, testified that he could not remember admitting his role in the shooting and pleading guilty to aggravated assault, landing him in jail. And he said he couldn’t even recall what high school he went to or whether he had siblings.

Welch said the witnesses’ initial statements were false and characterized them as self-serving attempts to place the blame on Ford and avoid being arrested themselves.

The prosecutor had a different explanation for the change of narrative: witness intimidation and fear.

Rouse presented evidence that Ford had posted a picture on his Instagram of bullets with Strand’s nickname written on them. Later, after Ford escaped from custody and spent a year on the run, Rouse said, he called Strand’s younger brother and threatened to kill him because his brother had cooperated with police, according to Rouse.

“It’s not a coincidence that they came in here and said ‘I’ve never been to Delaware County before,’” Rouse said. “It’s not a coincidence that, outside the view of Mr. Ford, with lawyers and your honor present, that Mr. Strand was willing to take full accountability.”

Green, the judge, is expected to announce his verdict during a hearing scheduled for July 9.