Pennsylvania State Police trooper shot, killed in West Caln Township, officials say

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper has died after being shot in West Caln Township on Sunday night, Gov. Josh Shapiro said.

Cpl. Timothy O’Connor was fatally shot after pulling over an erratic driver, officials said during a news conference early Monday morning. Shapiro said he spoke with O’Connor’s family after the shooting.

“There are many questions, many of which will go unanswered,” Shapiro said at a news conference at Paoli Hospital early Monday morning. “But the one thing we absolutely know for certain is that their son, their husband, is a hero. He died protecting others, and that is a noble calling. That is something we’re profoundly grateful for.”

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said O’Connor was responding to a call for an erratic driver at around 8:15 p.m.

About 10 minutes later, Bivens said, O’Connor pulled over the driver near Compass and Michael roads in West Caln Township, Chester County.

As O’Connor approached the driver’s side of the car, he was fatally shot by the man inside the vehicle, Bivens said. 

O’Connor leaves behind a wife and young daughter, Bivens said. O’Connor enlisted in the state police in 2010.

“We lost a dear member of our family tonight, a hero,” Bivens said.

The driver died by suicide after shooting O’Connor, Bivens said.

Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe said the driver is a 32-year-old man from Chester County, but his identity isn’t being released publicly at this time.

The Chester County DA’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the fatal shooting.

“Our community is shattered,” de Barrena-Sarobe said. “We grieve for the loss of Cpl. O’Connor, and we have the deepest condolences to his family. And unfortunately we just don’t have a lot of answers as to why this happened.”