Montco Police Corporal Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Man, 22

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Montgomery County police corporal has been charged in the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man who had showed up at the wrong address last week, authorities said.

Sean Farrell, 58, an Upper Pottsgrove Police Corporal, was chared with voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Glenwood Earl Pysher IV on Aug. 23 in Upper Pottsgrove Township, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.

The fatal shooting occurred at 12:29 a.m. last Sunday when police responded to a Snyder Road home after the homeowner called 911 to report that someone was trying to break into the back of his home.

Pysher had been out at several area bars earlier in the evening with a number of people, celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday.

The group was driven by a designated driver to the birthday person's house, but Pysher left the home at about 11:30 p.m. to walk a half mile to a different friend’s house.

Instead, he ended up on the back patio of the wrong house, authorities said.

Detectives reviewed Cpl. Farrell’s body worn camera, which was activated. The video showed that Farrell walked down the driveway with his department-issued firearm drawn using its mounted light for illumination.

Authorities said Farrell positioned himself behind a red car in the driveway, when he first observed a male standing on the home’s cement patio, several feet from the rear door of the home.

Pysher was standing still on the patio when Cpl. Farrell yelled, “Police, let me see your hands.” Then yelled “Hands up, hands up now, drop to the ground.”

On the video, Pysher can be seen raising his hands in the air, clearly visible, as he began walking toward Farrell.

The officer again yelled: “Drop to the ground” as Pysher continued to walk toward him with his hands raised. Cpl. Farrell again yelled “Drop to the ground,” then yelled “Stop or I’ll…” but prior to finishing that command, he fired two shots, striking Pysher twice in the chest, authorities said. The victim was 17 to 20 feet away from Farrell when he was fatally shot.

Montgomery County Detectives recovered two fired cartridge casings on scene from Cpl. Farrell’s firearm. No firearm or other weapon was recovered at the scene.

Authorities said Pysher was unarmed at the time of the fatal shooting.

Farrell turned himself in to Montgomery County Detectives on Tuesday and is awaiting arraignment, at which time bail with be set and a preliminary hearing will be scheduled.