On a tragic Saturday afternoon in York, Pennsylvania, the life of 28-year-old Dequan Lynn Williams came to a sudden and violent end. On October 17, 2015, police were dispatched to his home on Kelly Drive after his mother called for help, reporting that her son, who had schizophrenia, was not on his medication, was behaving erratically, and was out of her control.
When York City police officers Stephen Aderhold and Jeremy Mayer arrived at the scene, they found Williams outside, pacing
with a knife in his hand. The officers repeatedly commanded him to drop the weapon, but he did not comply. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation without lethal force, Officer Mayer deployed his taser, but it proved to be ineffective against Williams.
According to the official report, what happened next escalated the confrontation in a matter of seconds. Williams allegedly threw the knife he was holding at one of the officers and then charged toward the other. In response to this perceived threat, both Officer Aderhold and Officer Mayer discharged their firearms. Williams was struck by the gunfire and fell to the ground. He was quickly transported to York Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The aftermath of the shooting led to an investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, with the findings turned over to the York County District Attorney's Office for review. In March 2016, the district attorney announced that the shooting was justified and that the officers had acted appropriately given the circumstances. The report concluded that the officers were in a situation where they could not safely retreat and were justified in using deadly force. Consequently, no charges were filed against either officer involved in the shooting of Dequan Williams.
