Officer Cleared After Fatal Shooting Of Son In Lansdale
LANSDALE, Pa. (AP) -- Authorities in suburban Philadelphia say a police officer was justified in fatally shooting his 17-year-old son after the troubled youth attacked him with a hunting knife.
The Montgomery County district attorney issued a statement Friday saying no action would be taken against Hatfield police Lt. Eric Schmitz.
The shooting occurred at the Schmitz home in Towamencin Township on June 8. A day earlier, Schmitz's son had been released from a treatment facility following a suicide attempt.
District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman says the teenager cornered his father in the laundry room and started an argument. He then began swinging a 10-inch-long hunting knife at Schmitz, who Ferman says fired twice in self-defense.
The statement says the teen had been on medication for mental health issues.
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