An Upper Merion police officer was justified in shooting a gunman outside King of Prussia Mall, DA says

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele has ruled that an Upper Merion Township police officer was justified in shooting a suspect who shot at him outside the crowded King of Prussia Mall last month.

Andrew Wiley, 27, fired at the officer in the parking lot of the Seasons 52 steakhouse after leading him on a chase outside the mall Dec. 18. Wiley was being pursued for fleeing the scene of a crash that police said he caused inside one of the shopping center’s parking garages.

As he attempted to speed away from the scene, Wiley got caught in traffic, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. He then drove off a 4-foot concrete wall into the restaurant’s parking lot, disabling his vehicle.

When the officer approached him, Wiley pulled out a handgun and began firing. The officer fired back, hitting Wiley in his right leg and ankle, the affidavit said. Afterward, as Wiley was being taken into custody, he told the officer to kill him and shoot him in the head.

» READ MORE: A Philadelphia man faces attempted murder charges for shooting at police outside the King of Prussia mall

The officer, who has not been named, was not injured in the incident.

Wiley has since been charged with attempted murder and related offenses. The gun he used in the shooting was an illegal ghost gun, a firearm assembled with a kit purchased online that lacks a serial number, according to the affidavit. He told police he purchased the gun for $600 in Philadelphia.

Steele, in a statement Thursday, said the officer was justified in shooting at Wiley, who had become a threat to himself and nearby bystanders.