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Bucks DA Says Little Could Have Prevented Ambush Murder of Woman By Ex-Husband

By Brad Segall and Jericka Duncan

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- Bucks County prosecutors have released new information surrounding the deadly shooting of a woman by her former husband in a Feasterville parking lot last month.

Bucks County DA David Heckler describes Kenneth Philipp as a man who abused alcohol and had numerous run-ins with the legal system.  He had just been released from jail for violating a protection order when he pumped three shots into his ex-wife, Violeta Isackov, in front of her teenage daughter (see related story).

Philipp then opened fire on police before he was killed.

Heckler says protection-from-abuse orders usually work, but sometimes there are cases where the justice system wasn't tough enough.

"You hit a certain number of situations where people just decide at whatever point in their life that they don't really care about living," he said today.

Heckler called the police shooting of Philipp "justified," and said the officer should be commended for his actions.  He notes that police had seized a number of guns from Philipp but he was still able to get his hands on a shotgun that had been in the family for thirty years (see related story).

Heckler also says there's evidence Philipp may have tried to hire someone to kill his ex-wife but then took matters into his own hands.

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