Montgomery County, PA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2008

 

 

     

 

 

   

      Joseph McNair

 

District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and Pennsylvania State Police Captain David Young announce that their departments are reviewing the circumstances of an incident that occurred yesterday in Perkiomen Township when an off-duty SEPTA Police Sergeant shot and killed a man who had threatened to kill him.

On Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at approximately 7:30 PM, members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop K – Skippack Barracks responded to the reports of a shooting at the corner of Miller Road & Ott Road, Schwenksville, Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  At approximately 7:39 PM, a Trooper arrived and found Joseph McNair sitting in his vehicle slumped over the center console, suffering from several gunshot wounds to his trunk area and one gunshot wound to his face.  McNair was transported by the Trappe Ambulance to the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center for emergency medical care.  McNair died as a result of his wounds and was pronounced dead by an Emergency Room Physician.

  
The Trooper also found the initial 911 caller at the scene and he was identified as an off-duty SEPTA Police Sergeant.  The Sergeant admitted to being responsible for shooting McNair.  The Sergeant was subsequently transported to the Skippack Barracks where he provided a written statement regarding the facts and circumstances of this shooting and past problems with McNair.

  
The Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau initiated a joint investigation concerning this shooting.  The scene is located on Miller Road, just off of Ott Road.  Preliminary investigation revealed that there were two parked vehicles, both located on Miller Road and facing in opposite directions.  McNair’s vehicle is a grey colored Pontiac Vibe and was parked facing northbound.  The Sergeant’s vehicle is a dark colored BMW and was facing southbound towards Ott Road.  The Sergeant’s handgun, a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, was recovered lying on his driver’s seat.

The Sergeant told detectives that he had just left his residence located a short distance away to pick up his daughter from soccer practice.  He was on Miller Road and about to make a right turn onto Ott Road, when he was nearly struck by a grey Pontiac being operated by Joseph McNair.  McNair drove by, then reversed his vehicle, and got out of his car and began threatening the Sergeant.  The Sergeant explained that McNair lives next door to him and there has been an ongoing problem with McNair and several other neighbors.  McNair continued to threaten the Sergeant by saying repeatedly, “You’re not built for this, I’ll blow you away.”  The Sergeant stated he got out of his vehicle and they began a verbal argument.  The Sergeant also said that McNair went back into his car, leaned in through the open driver’s front door, and it appeared he was, “…going to get something.”  The Sergeant said he could not see McNair’s hands.  McNair then made a motion to come back out of the car and the Sergeant thought he was reaching for a gun.  Believing McNair was about to pull out a gun and kill him, the Sergeant said that he pulled out his handgun from inside his waistband and shot at McNair.  When he realized he had hit McNair, the Sergeant immediately called his wife to tell her what had happened and, immediately after that, he called 911 to request an ambulance for McNair.

The Sergeant is employed by SEPTA Police and has been a police officer for 22 years.  The Sergeant stated that McNair had previously threatened to kill him, his wife, and his children.  The Sergeant explained that, because of these threats and the numerous problems McNair had caused in their neighborhood, he became aware of McNair’s lengthy criminal history consisting of past criminal offenses involving murder, assault, gun charges, and drug charges.  As a result of this, the Sergeant believed that McNair was someone who was capable of killing him.

Crime scene investigation and ballistics results are pending. An autopsy is scheduled for today on McNair. 

 

Approved for release:

 

Risa Vetri Ferman
District Attorney
Montgomery County