DA: Officer justified in shooting armed man in basement
April 6, 2021 GMT
CATASAUQUA, Pa. (AP) A prosecutor has ruled that a police officer was justified in shooting and killing an armed man in the basement of an eastern Pennsylvania home earlier this year.
Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said Tuesday the officer had a “clearly reasonable” belief that deadly force was needed to protect himself and other officers from death or serious injury when he opened fire on 27-year-old Ryan Shirey.
Authorities said Shirey and his father were in the Catasauqua home on Feb. 19 along with his ex-girlfriend, who is a caretaker for Shirey’s mother. The ex-girlfriend called police during an argument the older man described as “heated,” Martin said earlier.
Fatal police shooting of armed Catasauqua man with mental health issues was justified, DA rules mcall.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mcall.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Family and friends of 27-year-old Ryan Shirey of Catasauqua describe a quiet man who felt comfortable with animals and in digital spaces and who faced struggles with mental health. The family believes a more compassionate response by police could have saved his life.