Three ex-police officers from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, have pled guilty to reckless endangerment in connection with the August 2021 shooting death of an 8-year-old child.
For the killing of 8-year-old Fanta Bility, police officers Sean Dolan, Brian Devaney, and Devon Smith were each charged with 12 counts of manslaughter and reckless endangerment. The Philadelphia Fox affiliate WTXF also stated that all three policemen had been dismissed from the police department.
As part of a settlement with prosecutors, the cops, who had the backing of the Bility family, pled guilty to ten charges of reckless endangerment.
Bility’s relatives addressed the media at a news conference on Thursday to discuss their reaction to the plea bargain.
Abu Bility, Fanta’s uncle, claimed that the family had been through “tremendous sadness” over the last year because of the pain Sharon Hill Borough and its police department created. All the time, we feel like we’re reliving the death of our beloved Fanta, who was only eight years old when she was shot and murdered by police in Sharon Hill.
Fanta and her family were leaving a high school football game on August 27 when two guys began firing at the crowd.
Officials claim that two suspects opened fire on a group of three police officers who had been sent to the scene to maintain order in the chaotic situation.
After being shot at, Fanta died as police opened fire on a car they suspected of being behind the original shooting.
Since her mother and siblings watched this horrible tragedy, Bility says, “it’s difficult to explain the words.” “They will always carry the memory of that traumatic experience with them. We’re still trying to accept the fact that Fanta won’t be coming back.”
The family of Bility has expressed their hope that the police officers’ appeal would help them begin the process of healing.
Bility hoped that through holding police personnel responsible, the family and community might find closure and start healing.
On January 12, all three police officers will be sentenced.
