At 11:25 p.m., Pottstown police responded to a wellness check for a suicidal man, police said. Police had been told that the man had posted photos online of himself holding a gun to his head and threatening to harm himself. When police arrived, officers encountered the armed man in the parking lot and confronted him. At that time, he was shot and killed. He apparently had a BB gun.
Victim's Name: Jerry Steffens
Agency Responsible: Pottstown Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: Unknown
Race: White
Date of Death: March 9, 2018
County: Montgomery
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Unarmed/Did Not Have an Actual Weapon
Weapon: toy
Threat Level: undetermined
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 3493
Geography: Suburban