A Upper Pottsgrove police corporal, Sean Farrell, 58, has been charged with voluntary manslaughter for the August 23 shooting of 22‑year‑old college student Glenn Pysher. Prosecutors said the incident occurred after Pysher, celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday, mistakenly knocked on the wrong door while walking to a house. Homeowners called 911, and Farrell arrived as the first officer on the scene.
Body‑camera footage released by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office shows Farrell with his weapon drawn and its light aimed at the driveway. When Pysher appeared at the back door with his hands raised, the officer repeatedly ordered him to “show your hands” and “drop to the ground.” Despite the commands, Farrell fired two shots from a distance of roughly 17 to 20 feet, striking Pysher twice in the chest.
The district attorney, Kevin Steele, noted that Farrell had less‑than‑lethal options, including a taser, on his utility belt that were not employed. Steele emphasized that Pysher was unarmed, had his hands in the air, and was not a threat, concluding that the use of deadly force was unlawful and warranted the manslaughter charge.
Family members described Pysher as a “goofball” with a passion for baseball who had recently transferred to Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey. His father said his son believed he was entering a friend’s home, while his attorney thanked the district attorney’s office for pursuing what they called “horribly tragic, preventable and reckless conduct.”
