Pennsylvania cop charged with manslaughter in fatal shooting of unarmed student

An Upper Pottsgrove police corporal faces voluntary manslaughter charges after fatally shooting an unarmed 22-year-old college student who had his hands in the air.

Pennsylvania officer charged after shooting unarmed student with hands raised

An Upper Pottsgrove Police corporal has been charged with voluntary manslaughter following last week's fatal shooting of a 22-year-old college student who was searching for friends late at night and approached the wrong house, meadowlakenow.com reports.

Body camera footage reviewed by investigators shows Cpl. Sean Farrell yelling "Drop to the ground," then "Stop or I'll…" — before firing two shots without completing the warning. Glenwood Earl Pysher IV, who was unarmed and had both hands raised at the time, was struck twice in the chest and killed.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said at a news conference that Farrell had less-than-lethal alternatives available and chose not to use them.

"The investigation found that Cpl. Farrell had less-than-lethal options on his utility belt that he did not employ, including a taser," Steele said in a written statement. "At the time of the shooting, the officer was a safe distance from Pysher behind a car, and the victim had his hands in the air and did not possess any type of weapon."

Steele concluded that Pysher posed no threat and that the use of deadly force was not legally justified. "This is not a legal use of deadly force, leading to the charge of Voluntary Manslaughter," he said.

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)