As first appeared in NewsBreak
By Aron Solomon
On September 29, 2023, the Borough of Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, reached a landmark $11 million federal settlement with the family (estate) of Fanta Bility, an 8-year-old girl whose life was tragically cut short by police gunfire in 2021.
This heart-wrenching incident unfolded on August 27, 2021, as Fanta and her family departed a high school football game at Academy Park High School. In a grievous error, three Sharon Hill police officers – Brian Devaney, Devon Smith, and Sean Dolan – unleashed 25 shots at a passing vehicle, mistakenly linking it to nearby gunfire. Tragically, these shots struck not only Fanta but also three others amidst the crowd exiting Knight Park.
In the aftermath of this harrowing incident, the Bility family, alongside other concerned parties, initiated a federal lawsuit against the borough, the police chief, and the three officers involved in the tragic shooting. Subsequently, these officers were dismissed from duty and later pleaded guilty to charges of reckless endangerment. In May, they were handed down a five-year probationary sentence.
The lawyer for Fanta Bility’s estate, Bruce L. Castor Jr., observed that “In such remarkably tragic situations as these, there is no settlement that can make up for the family’s deeply tragic loss. Of critical importance are the lessons that can be learned by the Borough of Sharon Hill in beginning to repair public trust.”
Indeed, the significance of the $11,000,000 settlement in the Fanta Bility estate case extends beyond the financial realm. Firstly, it marks the conclusion of the Bility family’s legal battle against the Borough of Sharon Hill, its police chief, and the three officers involved in the fateful shooting. While it provides a degree of closure for the family and the other plaintiffs, it can never erase the absence of Fanta Bility.
Secondly, this settlement underscores the vital principles of police accountability, emphasizing the imperative of proper training and oversight of law enforcement officers. As part of the settlement, the establishment of a citizens advisory board is mandated, alongside enhanced training protocols for the use of deadly force within the Sharon Hill police force. Additionally, the Bility family intends to advocate for statewide legislation aimed at enhancing police training standards and guidelines regarding the use of deadly force.
Ultimately, this settlement serves as a poignant reminder of the catastrophic consequences of police violence and the urgent need for systemic reform to avert future tragedies of a similar nature. The enduring commitment of the Bility family to preserving Fanta’s memory and preventing a recurrence underscores the continued imperative of advocating for police reform and accountability.
About Aron Solomon
A Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer, Aron Solomon, JD, is the Chief Legal Analyst for Esquire Digital and the Editor-in-Chief for Today’s Esquire. He has taught entrepreneurship at McGill University and the University of Pennsylvania, and was elected to Fastcase 50, recognizing the top 50 legal innovators in the world. Aron has been featured in Forbes, CBS News, CNBC, USA Today, ESPN, TechCrunch, The Hill, BuzzFeed, Fortune, Venture Beat, The Independent, Fortune China, Yahoo!, ABA Journal, Law.com, The Boston Globe, YouTube, NewsBreak, and many other leading publications.
