Officers justified in fatal shooting of ex-Delaware County cop wanted on rape charges, DA says

Two officers were justified in the fatal shooting of an ex-Delaware County police officer who was wanted on child rape charges, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. 

Francis Collier, who worked as a part-time officer with the Morton Police Department in Delco, was shot and killed by police in Lower Merion on Feb. 25. 

One day before the shooting, Lower Merion Township Police received information that Collier, who lived in the Bala Cynwyd section of Lower Merion Township, was wanted for the rape of a child by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. 

At around 2 a.m. on Feb. 25, police saw Collier's Jeep Grand Cherokee outside his residence on Old Lancaster Road. According to the DA's office, officers saw a police tactical vest and tactical bags inside the vehicle, which are used to store gear and weapons. Police planned to arrest Collier when he left his apartment, the DA's office said. 

Nearly two hours later, at around 3:45 a.m., two officers saw Collier walking toward his Jeep. Shortly after one officer stepped out of his vehicle and another turned on the patrol car's emergency lights, they heard a gunshot and believed they were being fired upon. The DA's office said a bullet exited the rear driver's side window of Collier's Jeep.

The two officers then fired their weapons at Collier, who was found in the back of his vehicle dead with three gunshot wounds, including one that was self-inflicted, according to the DA's office. 

A Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol was found in Collier's lap. He was also armed with two rifles, a pistol and a bulletproof vest, the DA's office said. 

"This was a dangerous situation where police were attempting to arrest an armed man on an arrest warrant," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. "Our investigation determined the facts of this case justified the use of deadly force by police officers."