Kathmandu— A Pennsylvania police officer has been charged with voluntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of a college student last week. Upper Pottsgrove Police Cpl. Sean Farrell was arrested on Tuesday after a review of body camera footage showed he shot 22-year-old Glenwood Earl Pysher IV twice in the chest, despite having less-lethal options available and Pysher being unarmed with his hands up.

Fatal Encounter

The incident occurred when Farrell was dispatched to a home after a resident reported someone trying to break into the back door. Body camera footage shows that as Farrell approached, he ordered Pysher to drop to the ground and stop moving. Despite Pysher raising his hands in compliance, Farrell fired two shots, hitting Pysher twice in the chest at a distance of 17 to 20 feet.

Legal Proceedings

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele stated that Farrell had less-lethal options available on his utility belt but did not use them. Magisterial District Judge Kathleen Rebar set bail at $75,000 and required Farrell to surrender all weapons as a condition of release. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 10.

Victim's Background

Pysher had been out celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday earlier in the evening when he mistakenly went to the wrong house, believing it was his friend’s home. His father believes that Pysher tried to enter what he thought was his friend’s residence and sat down on the back porch after realizing his mistake.

National Context

Bowling Green State University criminal justice professor Philip Stinson maintains a database of police officers arrested since 2005. According to Stinson, between January 2005 and July 2026, 218 local sworn police officers had been charged with murder or manslaughter in on-duty fatal shootings, with 78 convictions.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.