MEDIA, Pa. - Lawyers for three former officers charged in the deadly shooting of 8-year-old Fanta Bility argued Monday to have some of the charges dismissed.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.
The charges stemmed from a shooting outside an Academy Park High School football game in late August 2021. Investigators believe at least two shots were fired in the direction of the officers, who were monitoring the crowd as they exited the football stadium following the conclusion of that night's game.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 as by the officer's bullets as she left the game with family members, according to officials.RELATED HEADLINES: 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office originally levied first-degree murder charges against both Ford and Strand, but those charges were later withdrawn.