A young girl from Penn Township, Pa., was fatally shot by a police officer who was attempting to serve her father with an eviction notice at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning, according to the Washington Post. Ciara Meyer, 12, was hit by a bullet that had travelled through her father's arm after being fired from the officer's weapon, according to the Washington Post. The officer, Constable Clark Steele, had been trying to enforce a magistrate's eviction order against the father, Donald Meyer.
Meyer, 57, owed approximately $1,780 in back rent and court costs and had known about the eviction notice for some time, according to ABC News. He confronted Steele at the door of the apartment with a rifle and pointed it at him, according to PennLive.com. Steele then fired a single shot which unfortunately passed through Meyer's arm and fatally hit his daughter Ciara, according to PennLive.
"It was absolutely no surprise [Steele] was coming at this date and time," state police spokesperson Trooper Rob Hicks said, according to ABC News, "His lawful job, because he had a valid court order, was to remove them from the property if they had not already moved."
Perry County district attorney Andrew Bender said that Ciara died as a result of her injury at the scene, while her father was flown to Penn State Hershey to treat his injuries, according to PennLive.com. When asked to comment on Steele's firing of the weapon, Bender stated that "I think it's premature to speak out about anything with regard to what actions would have been appropriate," according to PennLive.com.
A neighbor who knew Ciara through her and her daughter playing together described her as a "very kind, sweet kid" when speaking to ABC 27 News.
"Here's a little girl that doesn't even have a chance to grow up and live her life, and all because of this senseless act. It's horrible, absolutely heartbreaking," the neighbor told reporters for ABC 27 News.
