A police shooting in Upper Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania, is under investigation after an officer fatally shot a 22-year-old college athlete whose family says he mistakenly approached the wrong house after a night out.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said police responded shortly after 12:29 a.m. Sunday to a 911 call reporting a possible attempted break-in at a home on Snyder Road. Officers encountered a man behind the residence, and an officer fired during what authorities have so far described only as an “encounter.”
The family says he believed it was a friend’s home
Family members identified the man as Glenwood “Bubba” Pysher, also called Glenn in television reports. His mother told WPVI that Pysher had been celebrating a friend’s birthday and walked to what he believed was the friend’s house.
She said her son was unarmed and carried a cellphone and backpack. That is the family’s account; authorities have not released body-camera footage or a detailed explanation of why the officer fired.
Critical evidence has not been made public
Backyard surveillance cameras reportedly recorded the encounter, and investigators are reviewing that footage. The officer’s name has not been released. No findings have been announced about whether the shooting complied with department policy or state law.
Pysher had transferred to Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey and was preparing to attend classes and play baseball, according to his family. Friends described him as cheerful and well-liked.
The Montgomery County Detective Bureau is conducting the investigation, which is standard in a police shooting. Until video, forensic evidence and official findings are released, the central question—what happened in the moments between the officer’s arrival and the gunfire—remains unanswered.
Facts first. Side-eye included.
DJF separates what is confirmed from what is claimed—and tells you why this particular mess is worth your time.