Wayne Wawa Shooter Targeted Mother Of His Child: DA

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — A Devon man shot and killed the mother of his child with a rifle inside a Radnor Township Wawa on Thursday night, authorities said.

Brian Kennedy, 34, of Devon was taken into custody about two hours after the fatal shooting, which happened around 8:20 p.m. at the Wawa at Old Surgartown and Morris roads in the Wayne section of Radnor Township.

Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copleand said it appears Kennedy was planning to meet the victim, identified as Stephanie Miller, 37, to exchange custody of their child, but said the child was not at the scene of the shooting. Copleand said the victim at one point had a protection from abuse order against Kennedy, but that order had expired in September 2018.

Kennedy has been charged with homicide, first- and third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and recklessly endangering another person, court records show.

The fatal shooting was a contained incident and that there is no threat to community, authorities said.

Authorities were first alerted to the shooting when a Radnor Township Police officer was flagged down outside the Wawa. Shortly after the officer was flagged down, a 911 call came through reporting the shooting.

Officers found a 37-year-old woman, later identified as Miller who is the mother of Kennedy's child, dead in the store with a gunshot wound to her head and several to her torso. Police did not say how many shots were fired in the killing.

Radnor Police, along with surrounding police departments, Pennsylvania State Police, and county authorities began searching for the gunman, later identified as Kennedy.

He was found by State Police troopers in the Thornbury Park area of Glen Mills at about 10:37 p.m., then taken to a hospital for evaluation for reasons not revealed by authorities. Kennedy was in possession of an AR-15-style rifle at the time he was apprehended, police said.

Through witness interviews, video surveillance, and further investigation, authorities say they determined Kennedy arrived at the Wawa to meet the Miller, got the rifle from the trunk of his car, went into the store, repeatedly shot her, then fled the scene in his vehicle.

Court records show Kennedy previously pleaded guilty to a 2016 harassment charge in Delaware County for which he was fined $100.

Authorities said they are planning to execute search warrants on vehicles and residences as they further investigate the shooting.

Editor's note: A previous Patch report said Kennedy was from Wayne, however court records list his current address as the Devon section of Tredyffrin Township.