Latest news with #CenterTownship
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Police officer who killed bystander after Pennsylvania shooting sentenced to probation
An off-duty police officer who killed a bystander by striking him in the chest and knocking him to the ground as the victim tried to give Beaver county, Pennsylvania, investigators information about a shooting has been ordered to serve five years' probation. John J Hawk, 38, received the sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the November 2022 attack outside a Walmart that led to the death of Kenneth Vinyard, 48. Hawk also pleaded guilty to assault and reckless endangerment. At the sentencing, Vinyard's family described him as the family glue, according to Pennsylvania attorney general, Dave Sunday. 'This sworn officer's actions contributed to the death of a man who was not a threat to anyone at the scene of this shooting,' Sunday said in a statement. Hawk, an officer in Center Township, was in civilian clothing when he confronted Vinyard as the victim spoke to police, Sunday said. Vinyard died upon arrival at a hospital. Hawk apologized to the victim's family at his sentencing. His lawyer, Stephen Colafella, said his client had been 'grappling with' Vinyard's death before deciding to enter a plea. 'I think a lot of people got closure today,' Colafella said on Tuesday evening, noting that Hawk and the victim's fiancee embraced in court. Colafella said Hawk was no longer on the Center Township police force. The Pennsylvania news station WPXI reported that Vinyard's family settled a lawsuit against Center Township and Hawk for nearly $1m. 'I hope that he can move on and have a good life with his family,' Vinyard's fiancee, Marcy Beatty, told WTAE-TV. 'Ours is broken, and it will take a long time for that to heal.' One person suffered a gunshot wound in the 6 November 2022 shooting at Walmart for which Vinyard was trying to provide information to police, authorities said at the time. At the time Vinyard was mortally injured, he had approached an officer about potential evidence. Hawk, who was neither working nor in uniform, pulled Vinyard away from the officer, Sunday's office said. Hawk then struck Vinyard in the chest and performed a leg-sweep maneuver that caused Vinyard to fall and strike his head on the ground. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion Vinyard later died at a local hospital. Authorities said Vinyard's death result from blunt force trauma and stress inflicted on him by Hawk. Hawk's trial in Vinyard's death was supposed to start on Tuesday when he instead pleaded guilty. Sunday's office said the sentence that Hawk received was at the discretion of state judge Richard Mancini, and there was no agreement as to the punishment between prosecutors and the defendant. The Associated Press contributed reporting
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Former Beaver County officer gets probation after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in bystander's death
A former Beaver County police officer was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a bystander at a shooting scene. Just as trial testimony was set to start Tuesday, 38-year-old John Hawk pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and related offenses for assaulting 48-year-old Kenneth Vinyard, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced. Prosecutors said Vinyard was a bystander at a shooting scene outside the Walmart in Center Township on Nov. 6, 2022. When he walked up to police to provide potential evidence, prosecutors said Hawk, who was off-duty at the time, confronted Vinyard and pulled him away. Shortly after, prosecutors said Hawk struck Vinyard in the chest and performed a leg-sweep maneuver, knocking Vinyard to the ground. Vinyard, who hit his head on the pavement, died at the hospital. The medical examiner ruled that blunt force trauma and "accompanying stress inflicted by Hawk" contributed to his death, the attorney general's office said. "This sworn officer's actions contributed to the death of a man who was not a threat to anyone at the scene of this shooting," Sunday said in a press release. "My team was fully prepared to try this case, but, after selecting a jury on Monday, we were informed the defendant wished to plead guilty." The trial was scheduled to start on Tuesday, and prosecutors were ready to call up to 15 witnesses. In 2023, Vinyard's estate was awarded nearly $1 million to settle a lawsuit against Center Township and Hawk over his death. The assault was recorded on cell phone video. Deborah Little, Vinyard's sister, told KDKA-TV it's been "absolute hell, torture" since her brother died. She said she thought Hawk should be in prison, saying "he took my brother's life without reason." "Nothing that will happen this week will bring him back, and it won't take away the hurt and the tragedy it has done to our family," Little said. "But I promised him when he died that I would fight until I could fight no more, and that's what I intend to do."
