The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced that the investigation into the woman who was shot and killed by an officer after she pointed a gun at police has been ruled a lawful use of force.
The investigation found that on October 8, police and EMTs responded to a 9-1-1 call for a suicidal woman who may have been armed with a gun outside of her home on the 100 block of Evans Avenue in Willow Grove.
When paramedics arrived the woman, later identified as 69-year-old Mary Meister, was standing at the front door of a home and pointed a silver handgun toward them, the DA’s office said.
When police arrived the EMTs told them what they had seen and an officer began negotiating with Meister, attempting for more than 12 minutes to get her to put down the weapon and talk with him. Police say Meister refused to comply.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
A Hatboro police officer who arrived with a less-than-lethal weapon shot four rubber batons at Meister, hitting her once in the leg. Officials say Meister then raised her weapon and pointed it directly at the officers at which point an officer fired his weapon at her.
Police at the scene rendered aid to Meister and she was transported to the hospital by paramedics. She was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m., officials said.
Investigators say a silver Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver was located next to Meister’s body after she was shot. Detectives found that the gun was purchased by Meister on August 25, 2023. A handwritten note was also recovered from inside Meister’s home indicating her intention to commit suicide.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"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," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. 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."
Witnesses told NBC10 about 10 to 20 officers responded to the scene.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
"I could hear the lady, the woman who was sitting on the porch," a witness, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10. "The officers were saying, ‘Please put your gun down.;"
The witness said Meister was talking on her phone while pointing the gun.
“She was shouting. She was yelling, talking loudly,” the witness said. “I think she said, ‘I’m talking to my daughter.’ The officer said, ‘We can talk to your family member. Can you give us the phone?’ And then I believe she fired four shots on the officers and then they returned fire.”
Mike Zajac, another neighbor, told NBC10 he heard the shooting.
“We heard like one gunshot and I think like five others and quick succession like right after that,” Zajac said. “After that happened, I kind of heard some sirens.”
NBC10 learned that Meister was a member of Upper Moreland Township’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Council.
