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Fanta Bility shooting: Mother of child slain by police gunfire shares grief on 1 year anniversary

Published  August 26, 2022 5:36pm EDT
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Fanta Bility shooting: Mother of child slain by police gunfire shares grief on 1 year anniversary

The mother of 8-year-old Fanta Bility spoke to FOX 29's Jeff Cole on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the deadly police shooting that claimed the life of her daughter. The family was leaving a Delaware County high school football game when a shooting erupted between two men and prompted nearby officers to return fire. Fanta was fatally struck by the officer's stray bullets. The officers have since been fired and charged.

PHILADELPHIA - The mother of 8-year-old Fanta Bility shared memories of her daughter who was killed by police gunfire while leaving a high school football game nearly one-year ago. 

"Fanta was a giver, she was so nice to friends, sometimes she would take food and give it to friends, and clothes, she was so happy," Tenneh Kromah said.

Authorities say on Aug. 27, Bility and her family were leaving the Academy Park High School football field among a crowd of fans when a shooting between two young men erupted. Bullets from that shooting came in the direction of three Sharon Hill Police officers who were monitoring the crowd. 

The officers returned fire, shooting toward a car they believed was involved in the initial gunfire, striking the car and members of the crowd. Bility was the only one fatally struck by the officer's bullets, according to officials.

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Investigators later determined that the bullets fired towards the officers originated from an argument between 16-year-old Angelo "A.J." Ford and Hasein Strand, 19. Stollsteimer's office originally levied first-degree murder charges against both Ford and Strand, but those charges were later withdrawn. 

Officers Devon Smith, Sean Dolan, and Brian Devaney were each charged with a total of twelve criminal counts of manslaughter and reckless endangerment, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced in January. 

Almost a year after the deadly police shooting of Bility, the borough shared a heavily redacted 55-page report that was compiled by a Philadelphia law firm, with several pages completely or partially blacked out. The report drew sharp criticism from the Bility family and activist groups immediately after it was released.

The borough council said the Sharon Hill Police Chief has received an unredacted version of the controversial report. They teased an upcoming meeting about updates to policies and changes that the borough said will be shared at a later date.

'I just want the truth': Activists, family of Fanta Bility demand full release of redacted report

Days after the release of a heavily-redacted report into the police shooting of 8-year-old Fanta Bility, activists and family members gathered to demand the full report. "I just want the truth from Sharon Hill and justice for my daughter," Fanta's mother Tennah Kromah.

"She was a very nice little girl, [Tenneh] misses her so much," Abu Bility told FOX 29. "She wants people to say her name over and over." 

Protesters are expected to march in Sharon Hill on Saturday to continue their push for justice.

"When she thinks of Fanta there’s nothing people can do to bring her back, [Tenneh] will forever feel her pain," Abu said. "She appreciates community support and will never forget until the day she goes to her grave."