The fatal officer-involved shooting happened at 3:48 a.m. on Old Lancaster Road in the Bala Cynwyd section of Lower Merion Township on Feb. 25, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced.<\/p>\n
Lower Merion Township Police officers were on patrol when they spotted a vehicle belonging to 38-year-old Francis Connell Collier, who was wanted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General\u2019s Office on charges of rape of a child, according to the DA.<\/p>\n
Officers saw Collier returning to the vehicle and confronted him. Collier then fired at the officers, who returned fire, fatally wounding him, the DA said.<\/p>\n
Per county protocol, Montgomery County Detectives responded to investigate the officer-involved shooting.<\/p>\n
That investigation has now concluded, with the District Attorney\u2019s Office determining the officers\u2019 use of deadly force was lawful following a review of body camera footage, witness interviews, autopsy findings, and evidence collected at the scene.<\/p>\n
Investigators also determined officers had identified Collier the day before and developed a plan to take him into custody after locating his vehicle outside his residence earlier that morning, where tactical gear was observed inside.<\/p>\n
At about 3:45 a.m., as officers approached, a gunshot was fired from inside the vehicle, and a bullet exited the rear driver\u2019s side window, prompting officers to return fire, according to the investigation.<\/p>\n
Collier was found in the back seat of the vehicle, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, including one that was self-inflicted, investigators said.<\/p>\n
In a separate \u201cFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\u201d statement, Morton Police confirmed Collier had previously served as an officer with the department.<\/p>\n
According to Morton Police, the department was contacted in December 2025 by the Delaware County District Attorney\u2019s Office regarding an investigation into then-Officer Collier involving alleged criminal incidents that \u201ctook place many years ago\u201d when he \u201cmay have been a teenager.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave and resigned from the department on Dec. 19, 2025, the statement said.<\/p>\n
On Feb. 24 \u2014 one day before the shooting \u2014 Morton Police learned Collier had been formally charged by the Pennsylvania State Attorney General\u2019s Office in connection with those allegations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere have been no allegations of criminal conduct against him during his tenure as a Morton Police Officer,\u201d the department wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Morton Police Department is deeply troubled by the serious allegations against a former officer,\u201d the statement continued, calling the conduct described in the charges \u201cprofoundly disturbing and wholly inconsistent with the standards and values expected of those who serve our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The department said it is fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities.<\/p>\n