Bodycam video shows officers arrive to home invasion, robbery turned shooting in Abington
Video: Officers arrive to home invasion and robbery turned shooting in Abington
New details have emerged as Abington Police body camera video shows the tense moments when they arrived to Horace Street for a home invasion and robbery, turned shooting. FOX 29's Kelly Rule spoke to officials and residents in the area about the incident after the suspect was arrested and charged.
ABINGTON, Pa. - Abington Police body camera video shows the tense moments when they arrived to Horace Street for a home invasion and robbery, turned shooting.
"Everybody put your hands up, let me see your hands!" an officer can be heard saying on the video.
Neighbor Ellison James, a veteran, came outside after the gunshots.
"Initially, it triggered me, so I paused, heard what was said, and initially I tried to look for cover, but at that point the cops were moving so fast," said James, "The gentleman that had the gun looked like he knew what he was doing, hands up right away."
Police say Khabir Shepard followed the victim from a casino early Monday morning, then broke into her home on the 1800 block of Horace Avenue and robbed her at gunpoint.
Police add the victim’s son heard her screams, got his own, legally-owned weapon and shot the suspect.
Shepard is now charged with robbery and aggravated assault.
Man arrested after shooting during suspected home invasion
Police say a man followed a woman to her Montgomery County home from a casino, broke into her home and robbed her. Her son intervened, shooting the suspect with a legally-owned weapon. The suspect is in custody.
"It becomes controversial when people see citizens using force, but in this case it was completely justified," said Chief Patrick Molloy, "He would’ve gotten out of the area and could be committing these crimes again today had it not been for the homeowner being able to take him down and the officers showing up very quickly."
The violent crime comes about a week after Abington Police say they arrested a man for randomly and violently attacking a woman in a township laundromat, and that same day, police say they arrested an 18-year-old and 14-year-old for carjacking a woman in the Abington Shopping Center. Police say that led to a chase in Philadelphia where the pair is tied to other carjackings as well.
"These individuals are not going to commit crimes again, they’re not going to commit crimes for a while," said Chief Molloy. "We are having an uptick I guess in some of these incidents, but I believe our department is being transparent to try to let our community know these things are occurring, not to cause panic, but to let them know there’s a way where you can protect yourself."
James says he’s grateful the man accused of terrorizing his neighbors is in custody.
"It could’ve been my home, you know, but my wife is the type where she says lock every window, lock every door, so that’s what we do every night," he says. "It could’ve been much worse, but I’m happy that they’re both OK."