BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. — A Bucks County man entered a plea deal after shooting a police chief and attempting to shoot a parole officer, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.
Colin Frank Petroziello, of Yardley, entered a no contest plea to firing a shotgun at Yardley Police Chief Joseph Kelly and an adult probation/parole officer on Aug. 18, 2021. Chief Kelly reportedly suffered serious injuries to his ear and hand.
Petroziello pleaded to the attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, two counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of assault of a law enforcement officer, persons not to possess a firearm, false imprisonment, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime.
According to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, at 11 a.m. on Aug. 18, a Bucks County adult probation/parole officer arrived at Petroziello's apartment to conduct an offender check.
Petroziello's mother reportedly called the parole officer for the check, but never mentioned that Petroziello was angry, agitated, intoxicated, and armed.
The officer heard slamming and arguing coming from inside the apartment, according to police, and immediately called for assistance.
The parole officer and Chief Kelly approached Petroziello's door, knocked, and identified themselves as police.
At a preliminary hearing held on Aug. 31, 2021, Kelly testified that he was able to peer into a windowpane on the door and could see Petroziello inside, aiming a shotgun at the door.
Kelly was able to move as Petroziello fired the shotgun through the front door, but the projectiles from the shotgun blast struck him in the hand and ear, according to reports.
Armed with a shotgun, Petroziello then barricaded himself in the apartment, preventing his mother from leaving and police from entering, according to police.
At the plea hearing, the district attorney said that more than 19 police agencies arrived to assist in establishing a perimeter around the apartment.
The South Central Bucks County Emergency Response Team (SERT) helped get Petroziello's mother out through a window. Before she got out, she was able to throw a 12-gauge shotgun out the window while her son was asleep, according to police reports.
When officials made entry into the apartment, they found Petroziello unconscious. They reportedly recovered a loaded .45-caliber handgun tucked in his waistband and a second loaded magazine inside his pants pocket.
Bucks County Detectives also found a set of brass knuckles in Petroziello's bedroom.
A background check revealed that Petroziello was committed twice on involuntary mental health commitments, making it illegal for him to have guns. He also reportedly had an active protection-from-abuse order against him from his maternal aunt.
