Philly Cop Who Shot Unarmed Man Won't Be Charged: AG

PHILADELPHIA – Back in August a Philadelphia Police Officer shot and killed a man who struck several plain-clothes officers with a vehicle. And Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that officer will not face criminal charges in the killing.

Shapiro Tuesday issued a statement after his office investigated the shooting death of Jeffrey Dennis, 36, of Philadelphia.

Dennis was shot and killed on Aug. 20 by 29-year Philadelphia Police Department veteran Richard Nicoletti in the city's Tacony neighborhood.

The AG's office took over the case from the Philadelphia District Attorney following a conflict referral.

Shapiro said after four months of digging into the incident, his office will not charge Nicoletti.

His officer interviewed witnesses, examined video footage, and analyzed all available evidence.

"We applied the facts to Pennsylvania law, and accordingly, no criminal charges against Richard Nicoletti will be filed by my Office," Shaprio said.

Nicoletti and fellow officers were undercover watching over Dennis' home on the 7100 block of Cottage Street at about 4:10 p.m. Aug. 20 to execute a search warrant his home for suspected drug crimes.

He and the other officers saw Dennis driving a car nearby then tried to stop his vehicle.

Six officers in three unmarked police vehicles blocked the vehicle Dennis was driving and then got out the vehicles, police said.

They approached Dennis' vehicle and ordered him to shut off the car, but he did not comply, police said.

Police said Dennis then struck the police vehicles with his vehicle and an officer used a tool to shatter the driver's side window of Dennis' vehicle.

Dennis was able to get away from the officers and struck one of the officers in the process, police said.

That's when Nicoletti shot at Dennis three times, hitting him in the head and left arm, police said.

Dennis was pronounced dead at 4:18 p.m., according to police.

Three officers were taken to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital for treatment of their injuries.

One sustained injuries to his legs, and was admitted in good condition, one had hand injuries and was treated and released, and the other sustained cuts to his arm and was treated and released.

"Violations of police procedure do not always rise to the level of criminal charges," Shapiro said. "Whether Philadelphia Police Department procedure was followed during this incident was not in the scope of our investigation, and will be addressed by Commissioner Ross and the Department."

Shapiro said he and his team with the Dennis' family and said his death "leaves a family in mourning and children missing their father, and I am deeply saddened by that loss."

"I know the outcome of this case is frustrating to some, and I understand the very real mistrust that exists between our communities and law enforcement," Shapiro said. "I swore an oath to assess the findings of every investigation and apply them to the law, which is what the Office of Attorney General has done in this case and does in every case.

"We must do better – as law enforcement, as leaders, as people – to rebuild that trust," Shapiro said.

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