A borough council in Pennsylvania voted Thursday to fire three police officers who were recently charged for the death of 8-year-old Fanta Bility.
The Sharon Hill Borough Council voted 6 to 1 to fire officers Brian Devaney, Sean Dolan, and Devon Smith after each was charged Tuesday with 10 counts of reckless endangerment, one count of voluntary manslaughter, and one count of involuntary manslaughter, according to a press release from the district attorney.
“I fully realize that the tragic death of Fanta and the trauma inflicted on her family, the other victims, and community members involved, has been emotionally draining to all, including the investigators and prosecutors assigned,” Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said in a statement. “No one touched by this incident will ever be the same.”
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The community had mixed reactions to the punishment of the police officers, as seen in a Facebook video of the council meeting. Some residents argued that the officers needed to be held accountable, while others expressed concerns that the decision could make other police officers afraid to stop crime.
The charges stem from an incident that took place on Aug. 27 at the Academy Park-Pennsbury football game, according to the district attorney. Two game attendees, Hasein Strand, 19, and Angelo Ford, 16, got into an argument and then exchanged gunfire, officials said. There were at least two shots fired in the direction of the officers, who were monitoring the crowd, the district attorney said.
The district attorney said his office empaneled a grand jury to evaluate the case and concluded “beyond a reasonable doubt that it was, in fact, shots from the officers that struck and killed Fanta Bility and injured three others.” The grand jury recommended the charges against the officers. Bail was set at $500,000 for each officer, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 27.
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Strand pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of aggravated assault and illegal possession of a firearm, the district attorney said. He will serve between 32 and 64 months in prison and will be under court supervision until 2030.
Ford is still facing charges for his “attempt to kill Strand,” according to the district attorney. The charges include aggravated assault, attempted murder, and illegal possession of a firearm, according to CNN.
