Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele has confirmed that an investigation found a police officer acted lawfully when he fatally shot a 69-year-old woman who allegedly threatened paramedics and police with a gun. The woman, Mary M. Meister, pointed a gun at paramedics and refused to put it down despite multiple attempts to negotiate. The investigation concluded that the officer’s use of deadly force was justified. Meister had a handwritten note indicating her intention to die by suicide. Robert Moran reported
Investigation finds police officer lawfully used deadly force in shooting death of 69-year-old woman
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced on Monday that a thorough investigation has concluded that a police officer acted lawfully when he shot and killed a 69-year-old woman who had allegedly threatened paramedics and police with a gun last month.
Details of the incident
The incident took place on October 8, shortly after 5 p.m., when emergency personnel responded to a 911 call reporting a suicidal woman who may be armed with a gun at a residence on the 100 block of Evans Avenue in Upper Moreland Township. Upon arrival, paramedics witnessed Mary M. Meister standing at the front door, pointing a gun at them. They quickly retreated and informed the arriving police officers of the situation.
The responding Upper Moreland police officers observed Meister on the front porch, holding a silver handgun which was later identified as a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver that she had purchased in August. One of the officers made repeated attempts to persuade Meister to put down the gun and engage in conversation for over 12 minutes, but she adamantly refused.
In an effort to subdue Meister without using lethal force, a Hatboro police officer arrived at the scene equipped with a “less-than-lethal” weapon and fired four rubber rounds at her, striking her once in the leg. However, instead of surrendering, Meister checked her injured leg and then raised her gun, pointing it directly at the officers.
At that moment, an Upper Moreland officer, whose name has not been disclosed, made the decision to shoot Meister. She was immediately transported to Jefferson Abington Hospital by ambulance, but unfortunately, she was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m.
Conclusive findings of the investigation
District Attorney Steele revealed that a handwritten note found inside Meister’s home indicated her intention to die by suicide. The investigation thoroughly examined all the facts of the case and concluded that the use of deadly force by the officer was justified under the circumstances. As a result, no criminal charges will be filed against the officer.
Steele emphasized, “Officers arrived on the scene, and an experienced negotiator attempted to convince Meister to put down her firearm. However, she consistently refused and instead, pointed the gun directly at the officers.”
Testimony from a neighbor and background information on Meister
A day after the fatal confrontation, a neighbor recalled that officers had pleaded with Meister to drop her gun before resorting to lethal force.
Mary M. Meister, a Philadelphia native, is survived by a daughter and three siblings, as stated in her obituary. Her husband had passed away in 2022.
Meister was a former board member of the Twilight Wish Foundation. According to a brief biography on the foundation’s website, she had retired from a public utility job and was a lifelong political activist who advocated for the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Additionally, Meister volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and held the position of local director of the Miss America organization.
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