Officers charged with manslaughter in fatal shooting of 8-year-old girl

Three Pennsylvania police officers have been charged with manslaughter and reckless endangerment after an 8-year-old girl was fatally shot by an officer at a football game in Sharon Hill, Pa.

Sharon Hill police officers Devon Smith, Sean Dolan and Brian Devaney were charged with 12 counts of manslaughter and reckless endangerment, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer (D) said in a statement on Tuesday.

The charges come after the officers responded on Aug. 27 to two teenagers who were involved in a separate gunfight. However, the officers' bullets, not that of the other gunmen, were what killed 8-year-old Fanta Bility and injured three others, the district attorney stated.

"From the moment the call came in on August 27th, my team of investigators and prosecutors has worked tirelessly to achieve justice for Fanta and the other victims of that tragic night. Today's charges are a big step forward in that process," Stollsteimer said in a statement.

The people involved in the initial altercation, a 16-year-old and 18-year-old, also face charges, though the district attorney added that he had withdrawn murder charges against them. The 18-year-old on Tuesday pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and illegal possession of a firearm and will serve at least 32 months in prison, according to the terms of his plea, the district attorney said.

"While I believe these defendants should be held accountable for starting the series of events that ultimately led to Fanta Bility's death, developments during the grand jury investigation render it appropriate to withdraw these charges at this time," Stollsteimer said.

The Hill has reached out to the Sharon Hill Police Department for comment.