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Hassan Elliott, Khalif Sears Guilty Killing Sgt. O’Connor

Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and racketeering charges in the March 2020 shooting death of Philadelphia Police Sgt. James O’Connor IV in Frankford, federal authorities announced.

Hassan Elliott, 26, and Khalif Sears, 23, admitted their roles in the death of Sgt. O’Connor during a federal court hearing on Jan. 15, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

O’Connor, a 23-year police veteran and SWAT officer, was fatally shot on Friday, March 13, 2020, as police served a warrant at Elliott’s apartment on Bridge Street near Duffield Street, authorities said. Elliott, wanted in connection with a 2019 homicide, opened fire on officers from behind a closed door, striking O’Connor in the neck and arm, according to investigators.

Inside the apartment, police discovered nine handguns, the rifle used to kill O’Connor, crack cocaine, marijuana, and drug packaging materials, court documents state. Sears and two other men were taken into custody.

Prosecutors say Elliott and Sears were members of the “1700 Scattergood” gang, also known as “SG1700,” which operated in Frankford and was linked to multiple shootings, including three homicides, as part of a drug trafficking operation.

Elliott faces a recommended sentence of 55 to 75 years in prison, while Sears could receive 35 to 50 years. Sentencing is expected this spring, authorities said. Attorneys for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sgt. O’Connor was posthumously promoted after his death. He served on the SWAT team for 15 years and was remembered as a dedicated officer, husband, and father. He and his high school sweetheart, Terri O’Connor, raised two children: a son, James, who serves as a 6th District officer, and a daughter, Kelsey, who is in the Air Force. The couple’s first granddaughter was born just five months before his death.

O’Connor’s funeral was delayed for nearly two months due to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings in early 2020, adding to the family’s grief during an already devastating time.

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