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The 55-page report was released on Friday, July 29, leaving many members of the public, including the Bility family, with more questions than answers.
Bruce L. Castor Jr., the attorney representing Bility's family, called the report "completely unacceptable in any society that values the truth and the Rule of Law."
"That Sharon Hill Borough officials chose to hide from the public those portions detrimental to itself and the conduct of its officials in the training and supervision of its police department, speaks loudly to Sharon Hill’s knowledge of its own guilt in connection with Fanta’s death," Castor said in a statement.
"The government of Sharon Hill exists to protect and serve the public, but its officials think it exists to protect and serve them."
Bility was leaving a football game with family when she was shot and killed near the entrance of the Academy Park High School stadium on Aug. 27, 2021, Daily Voice reported.
Sharon Hill officers identified as Devon Smith, Sean Dolan, and Brian Devaney, fired their service weapons in response to gunfire they heard nearby, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said. It was the officers' bullets that killed Bility.
The officers opened fire on a car that had turned onto Coates Street, the DA said.
The gunmen who authorities say fired the first shots, Angelo “AJ” Ford, 16, of Sharon Hill, and Hasein Strand, 18, of Collingdale, were charged were initially charged with murder in the shooting but those charges were withdrawn in January. The pair were instead convicted on aggravated assault charges.
Meanwhile, each officer has been charged with 12 criminal counts of manslaughter and reckless endangerment for their actions that night, the DA said. However, the officers' attorneys have recently sought to have those charges dropped, Whyy.org reports.
"The Bility family deserves more than a report that hides the truth of what happened the night Fanta was killed by Sharon Hill Police," reads a Facebook post by Delco Resists, a local group of activists who have been rallying for months.
"Fanta’s legal counsel and family members will have more to say on the report after taking several days to study it," Castor noted.
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