Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said Monday a man tried to use his truck to hit Harrisburg police officers before they opened fire and killed him.
Coroner Graham Hetrick identified the victim as William Jackson, 43, of West Hanover Township, Dauphin County. Hetrick said Jackson was shot three times, including once in the spine.
The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Schuylkill Street and Brensinger Alley in Uptown Harrisburg.
“It’s always a judgment call. These are all judgment calls. And, judgment calls where your life is in the balance are difficult calls to make. And, these guys put their lives on the line every day,” said Hetrick.
Marsico said officers were investigating a “suspicious vehicle” and discovered Jackson inside the truck. Marsico said it’s unclear why Jackson was in the city and in the alley.
Any time an officer is involved in a shooting, the county district attorney’s office investigates. Marsico said his investigation should be finalized within a couple weeks. But, he said he hadn’t heard anything yet to suggest the officers involved acted inappropriately.
It was the second time police have killed a suspect in Harrisburg this year. In January, the county’s Crisis Response Team shot and killed a man investigators say was waving a machete and threatening hostages’ lives.