According to the Associated Press, CNN and other US media reported on November 11, on the 10th local time, three former Pennsylvania police officers each pleaded guilty to 10 counts of reckless endangerment, after they were accused of accidentally shooting 8-year-old black girl Fanta Bility after a middle school football game to the crowd.
CNN: Three former Pennsylvania State Police officers plead guilty to shooting an 8-year-old girl
The fatal shooting occurred on August 27, 2021. On the same day, a middle school football game was held in Sharon Hill, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, where three police officers, Sean Dolan (26), Devon Smith (35) and Brian Devaney (42), were on the scene to maintain order, according to the Associated Press. After the race, two black teenagers, Angelo "AJ" Ford, and Hasein Strand got into an argument and exchanged fire outside the arena.
According to investigators, in the crossfire, two shots were fired in the direction of the three policemen, which prompted the three policemen who were monitoring the spectators' exit at the time to respond by shooting at a car they believed was related to the shooting, hitting the car and some spectators leaving the arena. According to the Associated Press, the three officers fired a total of 25 shots at the car and the crowd leaving the arena, injuring four and killing one, three of whom were shot and wounded by police, while 8-year-old Vanta Bilitti was shot and killed, and the car was later confirmed unrelated to the original shooting.
According to the New York Post on November 12, Billitty was leaving the arena with her mother and 12-year-old sister at the time of the incident, and then she was unfortunately hit by a bullet in the chest and died of her injuries after being rushed to the hospital. Her sister was also shot but survived. Billy and her family come from an African immigrant community in Guinea, and they describe her as a lovely child who smiles at everyone.
Fanta-Bilitti
Notably, after Bilitty was shot, the 2 black teenagers who initially exchanged gunfire were charged in connection with Bilitty's death last November and charged with first-degree murder. The prosecution reasoned that their shooting caused police to open fire quickly, which in turn "tragically killed Bility", although they did not fire the bullet that killed Billitty.
The local prosecutor's decision drew widespread criticism. According to the Washington Post on January 19 this year, the Delaware County District Attorney's Office has since been pressured by many activist organizations and local Democratic Party officials to testify and prosecute these police officers. Five Philadelphia City Council members also issued a statement calling the charges against the two black teenagers a "shocking miscarriage of justice" and noting that their treatment was "racially overtoned" compared to police officers. "It is untenable for the district attorney to place responsibility for this crime on these young black men while allowing the officers involved to go unpunished," the statement said.
Under criticism and pressure from the outside world, on January 18 this year, police officers Dolan, Smith and Devani were charged with one count of homicide, one count of manslaughter and 10 counts of reckless endangerment. On the same day, the local prosecutor announced that the murder charges against 2 black teenagers were dropped. On 20 January, the three officers were dismissed.
Former police officers Brian Devaney (left), Sean Dolan (center) and Devin Smith (right)
On November 10, local time, the three police officers separately pleaded guilty to 10 counts of reckless endangerment, and as part of the plea agreement, the more serious homicide and manslaughter charges were dropped. According to prosecutors, the plea agreement was reached after consultation with the family of the girl, Bility. The latter said that ending the case was necessary so that relatives could begin to heal their injuries.
According to CNN, Billitty's family, through spokesman Dawn Chavous, said in a statement: "Over the past year, the town of Sharon Hill and its police department have caused my family a lot of grief. We keep thinking about the pain of losing our dear Vanta, who was only 8 years old when she was killed by the police officers in Sharonhill, a pain that cannot be described in words. ”
The family statement said that after much discussion, they decided to let the district attorney ensure police were held accountable for their actions, admitting that their reckless behavior endangered the safety of many people and killed Van Tar "in our best interest." The statement continued, "We pray that, as a result of police accountability, we, as a family and as a community, can finally have a closure and begin the healing process." ”
However, in addition to expressing support for the district attorney's plea agreement with police in a statement, Billitty's family also noted that the town of Sharonhill should also be held accountable for failing to properly train police officers. "We need to ensure that all police officers are properly trained so that no one experiences the fear, great loss and pain that we endure every day," the family statement read.
The sentencing hearings of the three former police officers are reportedly scheduled for January 12, 2023, until which they will remain on bail.
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