No charges in officer-involved fatal shooting of transgender man, 23

by Deb Spilko

Mercer County District Attorney Miles Karson Jr. announced there will be no charges in the fatal officer-involved shooting of Sean Hake, a transgender man. The announcement was made at a Jan. 17 press conference following an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police. Karson said the shooting occurred after an "escalation," and was justified.

Frank Moore, attorney for the family of Sean Hake, said the family is disputing the findings. Moore stated that Hake had a "significant emotional and mental health history" but never anything involving weapons or deadly force. He was not able to say what steps the family might take.

On Jan 6, officers responded to a 911 call from Hake's mother, Cynthia Loya. Loya told the dispatcher that Hake had held a razor to her neck and threatened to kill her. She also added that Hake said he would cut his own throat if police were called, and she stated that that there were firearms in the house. Loya had escaped her house, and was making the call from her car.

According to accounts from responding officers, when they arrived at the Sharon, Pa. home, they found Hake sitting in a car, bleeding from the wrist and holding a utility knife in his hand. Officers said they called for an ambulance and tried to talk to Hake, who got out of the car. They said Hake did not comply when commanded to drop the knife and get on the ground, telling officers they would have to kill him or he would kill them. Officers stated that when he approached an officer, he was shot.

The Pennsylvania ACLU had asked for an investigation in the days following the shooting.

Autopsy and toxicology results were not released at this writing.

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911 call: Sharon mom said son put razor blade to her throat - Posted Jan 23, 2017