Montgomery County cop charged with manslaughter for killing a college student who accidentally knocked on the door of the wrong house
Upper Pottsgrove Police Officer Sean Farrell's actions were not justified, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele.
An Upper Pottsgrove police officer was charged with manslaughter Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a college student that prosecutors said was unjustified.
Cpl. Sean Farrell, 58, shot Glenwood Pysher IV on Aug. 23 after Pysher accidentally knocked on the door of the wrong house after a night out drinking with friends. The residents, thinking Pysher was trying to break in, called police, authorities said.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said that Pysher was not a threat, and that Farrell’s use of force was criminal.
“At the time the fatal shots were fired, Mr. Pysher had his hands up, he had no weapon, he did not charge the officer or act aggressively in any way,” Steele said. “This was not a legal use of force under Pennsylvania law.”
Body-camera footage recorded the entire encounter, which Steele said lasted “seconds, not minutes.”
After the shooting, the DA said, Farrell told a colleague that Pysher acted aggressively, “charged” him, and ignored his commands.
Steele said the footage contradicts Farrell’s account, and shows Pysher calmly listening to the officer.
Even if Pysher had been aggressive, Steele said, Farrell could have used the nonlethal weapons he was carrying that night, including a Taser and a baton, rather than reaching for his gun.
Pysher, 22, affectionately known as “Bubba,” was days away from returning to St. Elizabeth University in North Jersey for his senior year. He had a made a wrong turn while walking to a friend’s house, and didn’t realize he was at a stranger’s door, said his mother, Erin.
Minutes later, Farrell responded to a 911 call reporting an attempted break-in. After arriving at the home, Farrell identified himself as a police officer and told Pysher to show him his hands and drop to the ground, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.
Pysher raised his hands and walked toward Farrell, who again told him to drop to the ground, the affidavit said. Farrell then yelled “stop or I’ll …” and fired his gun twice before finishing his warning.
Pysher, who was no more than 20 feet away from Farrell, was struck in his chest and collapsed.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide.
Farrell, who has served as an officer in Upper Pottsgrove since 2005, has been placed on administrative leave. He is a third-generation police officer, according to an interview he did with the Reading Eagle.
During an arraignment Tuesday afternoon, District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar initially set Farrell’s bail at 10% of $75,000, but decided to keep Farrell in custody until he can surrender his personal firearms.
His attorney, Michael Gottlieb, told the judge Farrell is “a decorated police officer” who “was out there doing his duty.”
“He did not have any ill will” toward Pysher, the lawyer said. “He didn’t go there with intent to injure this young gentleman.”
A lawyer the Pysher family, Ken Fulginiti, meanwhile, said Tuesday they are “grateful for the work of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office and they are looking forward to justice in this horribly tragic, preventable and reckless conduct that took the life of their son.”
In the days after the shooting, Pysher’s family expressed sadness and outrage and said they wondered why the officer didn’t take steps to de-escalate the situation.
“It was a senseless loss, and it shouldn’t have happened,” Erin Pysher said in an interview. “I don’t know what the officer was thinking or doing that his first response was to shoot an unarmed kid.
“This was all a huge mistake, and they killed him.”
