Police officer acted with lawful use of force in fatal shooting of woman in Upper Moreland

NORRISTOWN — An Upper Moreland Township police officer acted with a lawful use of force when he discharged his weapon and fatally shot a woman who pointed a gun at EMTs and police during an October incident, Montgomery County’s top law enforcement officer concluded.

On Monday, District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced the conclusion of an independent investigation, conducted by members of the county detective bureau, into the Oct. 8, 2023, officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of 69-year-old Mary Meister.

“Officers arrived on scene, and an experienced negotiator talked with Meister, attempting to convince her to put down her firearm. But she repeatedly refused and instead, pointed the firearm directly at officers,” Steele said. “Our investigation determined the facts of this case supported the use of deadly force, and therefore, did not warrant any criminal charge against the officer involved.”

The identity of the officer involved was not revealed.

According to investigators, the incident began about 5:06 p.m. Oct. 8, when emergency medical personnel and police responded to a 911 call for a suicidal female who may be armed with a firearm. As paramedics arrived in an ambulance, the woman, later identified as Meister, was standing at the front door of the residence and pointed the firearm toward them. The ambulance continued driving up the street, and EMTs told arriving police what they had observed.

When Upper Moreland police officers arrived at the home, Meister was on the front porch holding a silver handgun. An officer began negotiating with Meister, attempting for more than 12 minutes to get her to put down the weapon and talk with him. Meister refused to comply, authorities said.

A Hatboro police officer arrived with a less-than-lethal weapon and shot four rubber batons at Meister, striking her once in the leg. She checked her leg, then raised her weapon and pointed it directly at the officers, according to investigators.

An Upper Moreland police officer discharged his weapon and Meister fell to the ground. Police rendered aid to Meister and ambulance personnel transported her to Abington Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m.

A silver Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver was found next to Meister’s body, according to investigators. Detectives determined the firearm was purchased by Meister on Aug. 25, 2023.

A handwritten note was recovered from inside Meister’s residence, indicating her intention to commit suicide, according to investigators.

In Pennsylvania, the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer is governed by Section 508 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code. A law enforcement officer is “justified in using deadly force only when he believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or such other person…,” according to state law.

Additionally, according to state law, the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers is justified to defeat…the escape of a person who possesses a deadly weapon, or otherwise indicates that he will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay.