Residents Question Police Response To Fatal Shooting In Tredyffrin

TREDYFFRIN, PA — A fatal shooting in Tredyffrin that came hours after police spoke to the suspect left residents questioning whether the incident was preventable.

Several also expressed concerns about a lack of communication after the shooting when they spoke Monday at the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

The suspect, Steve Jahn, called 911 the night of March 7, claiming that people were after him, according to an affidavit. Investigators described his behavior as "frantic" in court documents.

• Related: 'Frantic' Man Called 911, Police Let Him Go; Then He Killed A Woman: Court Docs

Tredyffrin police spoke to Jahn, who was legally armed, and recommended he go to Paoli Hospital for a mental-health evaluation.

After some discussion, Jahn agreed and allowed police to follow him as he drove to the hospital. He then refused outside the hospital, claiming the cars in the parking lot belonged to the people who were chasing him, the affidavit says.

Police let him go. Two hours later, he shot a woman while she was driving, authorities said.

Investigators believe the attack was random and that Jahn didn't know the victim — later identified as Megan Nieberle, a Berwyn resident who succumbed to her injuries the next day.

The incident left neighbors on edge. Several called on township officials for better communication when such situations arise.

"When these things happen, communication is so important," said Joe Maugeri, who has lived in the neighborhood for 35 years. "There's a lot of anxiety. People want to know what’s going on."

Communication From Law Enforcement

At around 10:47 p.m. March 7, Nieberle was driving home after an evening with friends when Jahn approached the intersection of Contention Lane and Old State Road in his pickup truck and shot her, authorities said.

Jahn fled the scene before the arrival of two Good Samaritans, who called 911 and rendered aid before first responders got there.

Surveillance footage and interviews helped detectives identify Jahn as the suspect within hours. In the early morning on March 8, Jahn went to the house of a relative, who called 911 around 6:15 a.m. to get Jahn a well-being check. Police detained Jahn outside the home.

Tredyffrin Police and the Chester County District Attorney's Office first released statements about the incident during the day Sunday — after Jahn was arrested. Neither statement mentioned a suspect in custody or whether there was any danger to the public.

On March 9, Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe announced that an arrest was made. He identified Jahn as the suspect and revealed details about the shooting, including investigators' belief that the attack was random.

Katie Angstadt, who lives near the shooting scene, told the Board of Supervisors that law enforcement should have notified the public before that.

"There was someone in our community who was very dangerous, armed for six or seven hours, and we were not notified," Angstadt said. "It’s just very concerning."

Tredyffrin Officials Push For Changes

Board of Supervisors Chair David Miller noted that Pennsylvania doesn't have a "red flag" law — a policy that allows a court to temporarily prohibit people from owning or buying guns if they're believed to pose a danger. Red flag orders are legal in 22 states.

"I'm not saying a red flag law would have changed what happened," Miller said. "I can't know that. But it would have given our police another tool to help manage the situation."

After Jahn called 911, he told officers he was armed and presented a concealed-carry permit, says Tredyffrin Police Superintendent T. Michael Beaty.

Officers at the scene recommended Jahn voluntarily admit himself for a mental-health evaluation, but he would need to surrender his firearms.

Jahn initially refused but then agreed to do so if police escorted him to the hospital. They did, following Jahn's pickup truck to Paoli Hospital. But once Jahn reached the parking lot, he refused treatment and police let him go.

Beaty called on state and federal lawmakers to enact changes that could have prevented the shooting.

"When tragedies like this happen," Beaty said, "it often leads to important conversations about how we can strengthen public policy, improve crisis intervention and ensure officers and communities have the tools they need to prevent violence whenever possible."

Jahn has been charged with criminal homicide, first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and possessing a weapon with intent to use it criminally.

He was denied bail and remains jailed at the Chester County Prison. A preliminary court hearing is set for Monday.

Click here to watch Monday's Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors meeting.