Woodard was shot multiple times while in his car near his girlfriend’s house on East 27th Street between Parade and Wallace streets shortly before 10 p.m. on July 2.<\/p>\n
The shooting has been ruled a homicide.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania State Police are conducting the investigation, which is ongoing. No charges have been filed, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has told the Erie Times-News that the parole agents involved, who have not been identified publicly, have been placed on administrative duty<\/a> “pending the outcome of the investigation.”<\/p>\n Charles Woodard, the father of 43-year-old Marchello Woodard, addresses Erie City Council on July 16. Marchello Woodard was shot and killed by a state parole agent July 2 on the city’s east side.<\/p>\n ‘We’re talking about justice’<\/p>\n During more than two hours of public comment before City Council,\u00a0various citizens told council members they want more details about the progress of the shooting probe, with some speakers demanding that the parole agents involved be suspended, terminated, arrested and\/or indicted.<\/p>\n Others urged City Council members to use their platform to put pressure on authorities, including state police and District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz, to be more forthcoming with information about what happened.<\/p>\n \u201cI had to bury my son,\u201d Woodard\u2019s father, Charles Woodard, told council members. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about justice, not \u2018Just us.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Protesters hold signs and chant, “No justice, no peace,” at the intersection of East 21st and Parade streets in Erie on July 3 after the shooting of Marchello D. Woodard by a Pennsylvania state parole agent on July 2.<\/p>\n Council members listened to nearly two dozen citizens address Woodard\u2019s shooting despite the fact that City Council has no jurisdiction over the investigation.<\/p>\n Further, Erie police, the state police and Hirz’ office have all said that Erie police were not involved in the shooting, and were called to the area on July 2 to respond to a report of shots fired.<\/p>\n Terry Roberts, a cousin of Woodard\u2019s, told council members he questions why the parole agents have yet to be arrested and sent to the Erie County Prison, which frequently happens to criminal defendants.<\/p>\n He also questioned why the parole agents have yet to be publicly identified.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t get (any) answers?\u201d Roberts said.\u00a0 It\u2019s not right at all.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Erie resident, Deonte Cooley, asked why some council members haven\u2019t offered condolences to Woodard\u2019s family or visited the eastside neighborhood where the shooting took place.<\/p>\n \u201cI come from this neighborhood. These are my family (members).\u00a0These are my folks,\u201d said Cooley, who unsuccessfully ran for City Council in May\u2019s municipal primary. \u201cThere are people here who are crying, and you all haven\u2019t showed up.\u201d<\/p>\n Answers sought<\/p>\n Marty Nwachukwu, a community organizer with social justice organization Erie County United, told council members she was \u201coverwhelmed with rage,\u201d\u00a0in large part because law enforcement beatings and killings continue nationwide.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have the power to address police harassment,\u201d Nwachukwu said, \u201cHave someone held accountable\u2026. Pass some legislation that will help protect us from police violence.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthew White, an Erie business owner who identified himself as queer, said \u201cI know nothing about being Black in America,\u201d but he senses a \u201cprofound feeling of unsafety\u201d in Erie that affects many people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and immigrants, among others.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is exhausting and difficult to do business here as we do absolutely nothing to keep our own citizens happy and healthy,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n City Council President Mel Witherspoon, 80, said he acknowledges the the public needs answers.<\/p>\n Witherspoon told the audience he was involved in gang activity as a youth in New Jersey and that he lost a brother to gun violence.<\/p>\n Witherspoon said he will ask his City Council colleagues to co-sign a\u00a0letter asking Hirz\u2019 office for more information about the probe into Woodard\u2019s shooting.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I don\u2019t get a unanimous OK (from City Council),” Witherspoon said, “then I\u2019ll do it myself.”<\/p>\n Contact Kevin Flowers at\u00a0kflowers@timesnews.com<\/a>. Follow him on X at@ETNflowers.<\/a><\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Marchello Woodard shooting: Erie City Council hears from citizens<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Charles](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/5d5da93344e71d25ecf4d5a4159d2968.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Protesters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/640f83a03641d5d27331b2a0d6e1b853.jpeg\"\/)
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