Three Pennsylvania police officers in the United States were charged on Tuesday with manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of an eight-year-old girl following a football game in Delaware County in August of last year.
According to NBC Philadelphia , the manslaughter charges against the three officers come five months after investigators said they believed the bullets that fatally struck Fanta Bility were likely fired from the officers’ service weapons.
The minor was killed as police exchanged gunfire with suspects in a vehicle after a football match. Fanta and his loved ones attended the game in question and were outside Park High School Academy Stadium when the shooting occurred. The victim’s sister and three other people were also injured in the shooting.
Fanta was from a family that immigrated to the United States from Guinea, and the deceased minor was due to start third grade at Sharon Hill School before she was killed.
The charges against the officers were announced by Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. Weeks after the fatal shooting, Stollsteimer said it seemed “almost certain” that the minor had been fatally shot by bullets fired by police officers. And following the shooting, little Fanta’s family kept calling the local authorities for answers.
Authorities also initially charged two men with murder in the girl’s murder. But Stollsteimer said those charges have since been dropped – although they still face an aggravated assault charge in connection with the fatal shooting.
The officers charged have been identified as Brian James Devaney, 41, Sean Patrick Dolan, 25, and Devon E. Smith, 34. The three suspects were being held on $500,000 bail on Tuesday, it was reported NBC Philadelphia . And a grand jury brought the charges against the men after finding it justifiable to charge each of them with intentional homicide, manslaughter and 10 counts of reckless endangerment.
“From the time the call came in on August 27, my team of investigators and prosecutors have worked tirelessly to secure justice for Fanta and the other victims of that tragic night,” Stollsteimer said. “Today’s charges are a big step forward in this process. »
Responding to the announcement in a statement, Fanta’s family attorney Bruce Castor expressed satisfaction with the new charges. The lawyer initially criticized local officials for their handling of the case.
“The Bility family thanks District Attorney Stollsteimer and his team of investigators and prosecutors for following the evidence and the law in bringing these charges today,” said Castor, who is also representing another victim in the shooting. .
“The family appreciates that the district attorney has kept the family informed at every stage of this investigation. From the start, he assured them he would seek justice for Fanta, and today’s charges indicate he did just that. They made the right choice. »
Sharon Hill council also reportedly announced it would vote on a motion to fire the three accused officers at a public meeting due to be held on Thursday evening.
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