Investigation finds officer justified under Pennsylvania use of force law
Allentown, PA – A police officer who fired a single shot inside the former Good Shepherd Hospital after a woman advanced toward him with a knife and a device resembling a weapon was justified in using deadly force and will not face criminal charges, the Lehigh County District Attorney announced.
The officer involved in the January 11 shooting at approximately 5:50 p.m. at 850 South 5th St. will not be publicly identified. The woman who was shot, identified in the report as N. N-G., survived. No other individuals discharged weapons or were injured.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said the shooting was reviewed jointly by the Allentown Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office Homicide Task Force. The review included body worn camera footage, surveillance video from inside the hospital lobby, witness interviews and physical evidence.
According to the investigation, a security guard working in the lobby reported that N. N-G. knocked on a window and asked for emergency medical services, stating she was being abused. The guard described her as stressed and anxious and allowed her inside before calling for assistance.
When Allentown EMS and the officer arrived, the guard briefed them and led them into the lobby. As medics began speaking with N. N-G., she stood up holding a knife. One medic alerted others that she had a knife and retreated. The officer repeatedly ordered her to drop the weapon.
Witness statements and video show that over approximately 45 seconds, the officer issued 16 commands for her to drop the knife. N. N-G. did not comply and moved toward the officer and others in the lobby, at one point stating, “It’s just a knife.”
Investigators said N. N-G. later turned toward the officer while holding the knife in one hand and a yellow and black object in the other. The officer described the object as having a handle and trigger and appearing capable of firing projectiles. As she raised and pointed the object toward him while advancing, the officer discharged one round, striking her in the pelvis.
After being shot, N. N-G. discarded both the object and the knife. Responders moved the items out of reach and provided medical treatment, including tourniquets, before additional personnel arrived.
The object was later identified as a digital infrared non contact thermometer, commonly referred to as a temperature gun. Investigators noted that it resembled a taser in size, shape and color scheme.
Holihan concluded that under Pennsylvania law governing use of force by law enforcement, the officer reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or others. The review determined the officer’s belief was both subjectively and objectively reasonable given the circumstances, including the presence of the knife and the manner in which the device was presented.
The district attorney stated that no criminal charges will be filed against the officer and that the review of his conduct is complete.
A confrontation that unfolded in less than a minute inside a hospital lobby ended with a single gunshot and a ruling that the officer’s actions were justified under state law.
Key Points
- An officer shot a woman once inside the former Good Shepherd Hospital on January 11 after she advanced with a knife and a device resembling a weapon
- The device was later identified as a digital infrared thermometer that resembled a taser
- The Lehigh County District Attorney ruled the use of deadly force was justified and no charges will be filed