ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office has ruled that an Allentown Police Department officer was justified in using deadly force during a January incident at the former Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital on the 800 block of South 5th Street.
The incident occurred Jan. 11 inside the lobby of the former hospital building. According to a detailed news release, the officer shot a woman once after she allegedly waved a knife and pointed what appeared to be a stun gun at him and first responders.
DA: Use of Force “Reasonable”
Prosecutors determined the officer’s actions were both objectively and subjectively reasonable under Pennsylvania law. The woman was found to have posed an imminent threat to:
- The responding police officer
- Two Allentown EMS medics
- A hospital security guard
- Potentially herself
The officer, whose name has not been released, will not face criminal charges. The woman, who survived her injuries, has also not been publicly identified.
What Happened Inside the Lobby
According to the DA’s office:
- A security guard working at the former Good Shepherd facility reported that the woman knocked on the window asking for EMS, claiming she was being abused.
- The guard described her as “stressed, panicked and anxious.”
- After allowing her inside, the guard called EMS.
- When EMS and the responding officer entered the lobby, the woman allegedly stood up holding a knife.
Body-worn camera footage reportedly shows the officer giving 16 clear verbal commands for the woman to drop the knife. Prosecutors say she refused, instead waving the knife and moving closer to the officer and medics while making statements such as, “It’s just a knife,” and “Are you serious?”
At one point, the officer attempted to transition from his firearm to a Taser in an effort to use less-lethal force. Before he could complete that transition, the woman allegedly turned toward him holding:
- A knife in one hand
- A yellow-and-black device resembling a stun gun in the other
The DA’s office said she extended the device in what was described as a “firing manner.”
Believing the device could incapacitate him, the officer fired one round from his handgun, striking the woman in the pelvis. She fell to the ground and discarded both the knife and the device.
The Device Was Not a Stun Gun
Investigators later determined the object was a digital infrared non-contact thermometer, commonly referred to as a “temperature gun.”
The DA’s office noted that the device closely resembles a stun gun in:
- Size
- Shape
- Color scheme
- Presence of a handle and trigger
Prosecutors concluded that based on the totality of the circumstances — including the way the device was presented and the woman’s immediate statements after being shot (“That wasn’t a gun”) — the officer reasonably believed he was facing a serious threat.
Officer’s Training Factored Into Decision
According to the DA’s release, the officer had previously been tased during training and understood that incapacitation could last several seconds. He reportedly feared that if he were incapacitated in the lobby, the woman could gain control of his firearm, creating a broader risk to everyone present.
After the shooting, the officer and EMS personnel immediately rendered medical aid to the woman.
Good Shepherd Statement
In a Facebook statement, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network said:
- The woman was not a patient or resident.
- No patients, residents, or employees were involved.
- The nearby Raker Center was placed on lockdown out of caution.
- All facilities are now operating normally.
