SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Lehigh County District Attorney has ruled the fatal police shooting of South Whitehall Township resident Gary Moyer as justified.
Moyer, 73, was pronounced dead at the scene on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 28, in the 100 block of North 38th Street. The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds, categorizing his death as a homicide.
Homicide is defined as “the killing of one person by another,” according to the coroner’s findings. However, Coroner Buglio clarified, “This incident involved a police shooting, and while I am ruling the manner of death a homicide, District Attorney Gavin Holihan has determined that the shooting was justifiable.” Buglio explained that Moyer acted in a threatening manner, seemingly with the intent to provoke law enforcement, a situation often referred to as “suicide by cop.”
District Attorney Holihan confirmed the shooting was justified and stated that no charges would be filed against the responding officers. He remarked, “Based on the information available, I am closing the criminal investigation into the death of Gary Moyer with no criminal charges. I find the use of force by all involved South Whitehall Township Police Department personnel justified.”
Holihan further asserted that attributing Moyer’s death to the officers involved is both inaccurate and unfair. He noted that Moyer’s death can be classified as a suicide, even though the coroner categorized it as a homicide based on existing definitions.
