BENSALEM, P.A. — Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn has ruled that five Bensalem Township police officers were justified in the January 24, 2025, fatal shooting of Zachiry Kerschner, an armed felon who led police on a pursuit before barricading himself in his vehicle and pointing a firearm at officers.
Schorn’s investigation determined that the officers had a “reasonable belief” that their lives were in clear and present danger when they discharged their weapons. In a letter to Bensalem Township Police Director of Public Safety William McVey, Schorn stated, “I therefore conclude that [the officers] were justified in discharging their weapons and fatally shooting Zachiry Derrek Kerschner.”
The investigation further revealed that Kerschner had been improperly released from a Philadelphia prison and was not under adequate supervision at the time of the incident. Authorities stated that he should have been incarcerated when he illegally possessed firearms, led officers on an extended chase, and ultimately aimed a handgun at police.
Bensalem Police expressed gratitude to DA Schorn for her comprehensive investigation and thanked the Pennsylvania State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department for their assistance in the case.