Questions Linger in Harrisburg Police Shooting of Black Man: Officer Thought Cell Phone was a Gun

 
Community Speaks Out about Death of Man Killed by Police [MORE]
The first official account of the Feb. 5 police-related shooting of a Harrisburg man has surfaced in a court document seeking access to the dead man's cell phone records. Cpl. Raymond Lyda told a county detective that he shot Adeleno Al Jamar Oliver-Horton after Oliver-Horton punched him on the head and pulled a black object that Lyda believed was a handgun from his waistband, according to the court filing. That black object apparently was Oliver-Horton's cell phone, which was found at the scene by a forensics team. District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said his investigation is nearing comple tion, but he plans to discuss the results with Oliver Horton's family and their attorney, Thomas Weber, before making a public announcement. Oliver-Horton's death has caused unrest in the city, as members of the community blame police for shooting an unarmed man and investigators for taking too long to determine what happened. At Third and Emerald streets, near the site of his death, candles, angels and teddy bears line the sidewalk and messages written in black marker on a wall decry "police brutality." About 200 people marched from Third and Emerald to the Capitol April 1, chanting "justice for Al" and expressing frustration about the length of the investigation.

• And Why Would he Pull his Cell Phone Out? The court documents state that Lyda was involved in a "low speed vehicle pursuit" at 3 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday that ended when Oliver-Horton's car struck a parked vehicle in the 2300 block of North Third Street. Police earlier said Lyda initiated the stop because Oliver-Horton, 26, was driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Lyda's vehicle blocked the driver's door and Oliver-Horton reportedly got out the passenger side and struggled with the officer. "During this struggle, Horton punched Corporal Lyda on the top of his head," Chardo's affidavit says. "Corporal Lyda wrestled Horton to the ground to a position where Horton was on his hands and knees. "Horton then reached to his waist and removed a black object that Corporal Lyda believed was a small handgun," the filing says. "Corporal Lyda, in fear for his life, drew his duty pistol and fired one round killing Horton." Oliver-Horton's aunt Penny J. Gilcrist said she has doubts about the scenario provided by Lyda. "Why would he reach for his cell phone when he knows it's not going to help him?" Gilchrist said. "I mean, it doesn't make sense. It just doesn't make common sense to do something like that." [MORE]

• Pictured above: (Top) Al Jamar and (bottom) an entire wall full of a fallen loved one, Al Jamar, apparently gunned down by the Harrisburg PD. [MORE]
  
• March to protest man's death [MORE] and [MORE]