The Lancaster County District Attorney Office says police were justified when they shot and killed a Rapho Township man during a standoff last month.
On August 12 Manheim Borough police were dispatched to 1492 Old Line Road in Manheim Township just before 9:00AM to investigate a threatening call to county control. The report says Steven Brill,46, had called Lancaster County Wide Communications (LCWC) and said, “they will never take me alive.” Brill told arriving officers, “go away.” Brill was hiding behind his car in the driveway. An officer who snuck behind Brill saw he was holding a gun. Officers told Brill to drop the gun. Brill replied, “who am I gonna shoot next?”
Officers repeatedly told Brill to drop the weapon. He continued to ignore them and went back into his home. When he came back outside, he was again holding the gun. Officers yelled for Brill to get down on the ground and to drop the gun. Brill pointed the gun at an officer that was hiding on the side of the house. Two other officers shot Brill, killing him.
Police discovered that the gun Brill had was a Daisy pellet rifle with a scope and not an actual rifle. The District Attorney’s report says the pellet rifle looks like a typical hunting rifle, and asserts Brill was given multiple chances to help the situation but only made the situation escalate by not listening to the police officers.
The report says that Brill struggled with depression, alcohol abuse and used marijuana. The report also reveals that there were four (4) separate incidents between November, 2012 and May of 2013 in which Brill expressed his desire to commit suicide to police officers. The police had Brill taken to hospitals on each occasion.
Officials say given the circumstances and evidence the shooting is justified and the case is closed.