A 32-year-old man fatally shot a Pennsylvania state trooper on Sunday night during a traffic stop before killing himself, officials said.
Around 8:15 p.m., State Police Cpl. Tim O’Connor responded to a report about an erratic driver in the Honey Brook, Pa., area, about 50 miles west of Philadelphia.
He pulled over a vehicle in West Caln Township, Pa., and reported by radio that he had stopped the vehicle, Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a news conference.
Seconds after Corporal O’Connor approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, the driver shot him. The driver then exited the vehicle, walked a short distance and shot himself, Colonel Bivens said.
Officials said they had identified the shooter and that he was a resident of Chester County, Pa., but they did not publicly release his name.
Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania directed flags across the state to be flown at half-staff in honor of Corporal O’Connor, whom he called “one of our finest.”
Mr. Shapiro said he was at Paoli Hospital in Paoli, Pa., on Sunday night with Corporal O’Connor’s wife, Casey, and his parents.
“My heart breaks for Tim and Casey’s young daughter and their entire family,” Mr. Shapiro said.
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that the Pennsylvania State Police and Chester County detectives were investigating the circumstances of the shooting.
Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics.
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