A grand jury in Pennsylvania is set to determine whether police were justified in their use of force during an August shooting that killed an eight-year-old girl. Fanta Bility was struck by police gunfire outside a high school football game in Sharon Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia.
The incident began when two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, exchanged gunfire near the stadium. Police officers stationed at the entrance responded by discharging their weapons, which prosecutors say killed Fanta and wounded three others. The teenagers face murder charges for initiating the events.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer stated that the teens 'exchanged multiple gun shots' and that their actions 'precipitated the responsive discharge of weapons by police officers.' The district attorney's office acknowledged that police gunfire struck Fanta and the bystanders but holds the teens responsible.
The Bility family has filed a lawsuit against Sharon Hill and its police department. Their attorney, Bruce Castor Jr, told the BBC that the family believes police are responsible. 'It's very counterintuitive to think that these two men who started the ruckus could be held responsible directly for Fanta's death,' he said.
Mr Castor argued that the charges against the teens rely on 'transferred intent,' a legal theory he considers difficult to prove. He also suggested that the district attorney may be attempting to deflect attention from the police. 'That's how the family is seeing it,' he added.
The grand jury's review will focus on whether the police use of force was justified. The city of Sharon Hill has stated it is awaiting the investigation's findings. The two teenagers have been charged with murder; one was arrested and the other turned himself in.
