Man Shot By Officer In North Coventry Had Stolen Patrol Car: DA

NORTH COVENTRY, PA — The officer who shot a man last month in North Coventry was defending himself after the man stole his patrol car and tried to run him over, the Chester County District Attorney's Office said.

The incident began on Monday, June 22 at the Lowe's Home Improvement store in North Coventry. Officers arrived to investigate a retail theft and interviewed Joshua McFadden, who they later discovered was already wanted on separate charges. During the interview, McFadden fled away his vehicle at a high rate of speed.

Officers did not pursue. McFadden quickly crashed into another vehicle on Route 724 shortly after leaving, severely damaging his car and the vehicle he hit, police said. He then fled into the nearby woods on foot.

A North Coventry office attempted to arrest McFadden, and McFadden threatened to shoot him before fleeing again toward a nearby residential area, according to authorities.

During this time, McFadden snuck into a local home and asked the homeowner for a phone, police said. He remained inside the home until the owner called more family members, who then forced McFadden to leave, police said.

A short time after McFadden left the house, an East Coventry patrol officer found him running in the neighborhood and briefly pursued him on foot. Officials said that McFadden then led the officer in a short pursuit before running into the officer's patrol car and attempting to steal it.

The officer came to the front of the patrol car. McFadden tried to put the car into drive, hitting the gas, revving the engine, and advancing the vehicle forward slightly.

The officer "reasonably believed that he could be struck by the car and that his life was in danger," the district attorney's office found in their investigation of that decisive moment.

The officer fired one shot and his McFadden, causing him to slump over immediately, police said.

Officers provided medical aid to McFadden until first responders arrived, and McFadden was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was later released back into police custody.

The DA's office pointed to numerous factors justifying the officer's decision to shoot, including McFadden's earlier threat that he would shoot law enforcement, ignoring commands to stop while stealing the patrol car, revving the engine and placing his foot on the gas, and the accessibility of the officer's firearms inside the patrol vehicle.

McFadden faces a slew of charges, including aggravated assault, robbery of motor vehicle, burglary, fleeing and eluding, and possession of methamphetamine. A preliminary hearing is forthcoming.