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The attorney representing the family of Glenwood “Bubba” Pysher, a 22-year-old college student fatally shot by a Pennsylvania police officer, is demanding full access to the officer’s body-worn camera footage. This follows statements from prosecutors suggesting the officer may have fabricated parts of his account of the shooting.
Ken Fulginiti, speaking on behalf of Pysher’s family, told Philadelphia’s WPVI that the officer “flat-out lied about what happened in order to justify his shooting.” The incident occurred on August 23 in Upper Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania, when Pysher mistakenly arrived at the wrong house after a night out.
Despite the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office charging Cpl. Sean Farrell with voluntary manslaughter and announcing the arrest on Tuesday, Pysher’s parents remain troubled by unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances that led to their son’s death.
Farrell, a 58-year-old veteran of the Upper Pottsgrove Police Department, is currently held on $75,000 bail and has requested a public defender. His next court date is set for September 10.
At a Tuesday press conference, DA Kevin R. Steele revealed that body camera footage recorded during the incident suggests Pysher was complying with police commands when he was shot.
Steele shared that Farrell had told a colleague the victim “charged” at him while “screaming and yelling,” but the video does not support those claims. “The body-worn camera video does not depict Pysher charging and does not depict yelling or screaming prior to the shooting,” Steele stated.
Fulginiti expressed a desire to review all related footage, including that from Farrell’s squad car and a security camera at the residence, which is referenced in the criminal complaint. He emphasized that the shooting was not a split-second error but a reckless act by the officer. “This was a significantly reckless move on behalf of this officer,” Fulginiti said, while also acknowledging the decision to charge Farrell as a positive step.
According to the family, Pysher had been celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday, moving between bars before heading to what he thought was a friend’s home. His mother, Erin Pysher, explained that after some drinks, he became disoriented and mistakenly walked to the wrong house in the dark.
The criminal complaint outlines that approximately 45 minutes before the shooting, Pysher had communicated with friends and appeared confused about his location. A Snapchat video he sent confirmed he was at the wrong residence, prompting a friend to search for him. Tragically, the friend arrived moments after the shooting occurred.
Farrell was the first officer on the scene after the homeowner reported a stranger knocking at the back door. Positioned behind a car about 17 to 20 feet from Pysher, Farrell called out, “Police, let me see your hands,” before opening fire-cutting off mid-sentence during a warning to stop.
The complaint asserts Farrell used deadly force unreasonably, despite having access to less-lethal tools such as a stun gun and baton. DA Steele confirmed that Pysher had his hands raised, was unarmed, and posed no threat to the homeowners.
“This is not a legal use of lethal force under Pennsylvania law,” Steele said, noting he had met with Pysher’s parents before announcing the charges.
As the case proceeds, Pysher’s family and their legal team continue to seek transparency and answers about the tragic events that led to his death.