DA: Killing of man who shot Pottstown police officer was justified

POTTSTOWN — Last month’s police shooting and killing of a 25-year-old who had shot and wounded a police officer four hours earlier was justified, according to an investigation conducted in its wake, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced.

“The investigation of the April 6 incident in Pottstown is completed and found that it was a lawful use of force by police officers,” the DA stated in a press release.

SWAT officers shot and killed Andrew Jackson Ecker after a five-hour standoff at his home at the corner of Wilson Street and Winding Road, a standoff that included the use of tear gas.

“The independent investigation of the shooting was conducted by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, as is protocol for officer-involved shootings in Montgomery County. Multiple police departments were present during the incident, and the officers involved cooperated with the investigation,” according to Steele.

The incident escalated on the evening of April 6 after a one-vehicle crash at the corner of Beech and Mount Vernon streets at 5:06 p.m. The vehicle, which had hit a utility pole, was a truck owned by Ecker’s father, Aram Ecker, a well-known plumber in town who worked together with his son.

Police responded to the crash, and a loaded .32 caliber semi-automatic firearm was discovered in the vehicle. Ecker, who was not permitted to own a firearm, fled the scene on foot to his home a few blocks away, with police in pursuit.

Ecker began firing on police officers with a second firearm, striking Pottstown Police Officer Caleb Whitney in the shoulder at approximately 6:15 p.m., according to the DA’s press release.

Whitney was taken to Reading Hospital Trauma Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Whitney was treated and released and is recovering, according to multiple police sources.

After shooting Whitney, Ecker barricaded himself in the residence, according to Steele. The Montgomery County SWAT West team and police officers from multiple Montgomery County jurisdictions arrived on the scene. SWAT members evacuated nearby residents, and negotiators established communications with Ecker.

“During these communications, Ecker made statements that he intended to shoot police officers,” according to Steele.

The standoff saw High Street and Wilson Street closed off as police from multiple jurisdictions filled the area. A crowd of onlookers and media from around the region watched and listened to gunfire coming from the scene. It remains unclear whether any of that gunfire was coming from Ecker.

“At approximately 9:46 p.m., Ecker appeared at the doorway, and a SWAT member fired at Ecker, who fell to the ground. He was pronounced dead on scene by an EMS physician,” according to Steele’s release.

Police recovered a Sig Sauer .40 caliber semi-automatic firearm from inside the house. The investigation found that the firearm was reported stolen on May 18, 2019, from a vehicle theft in Philadelphia.

As part of the investigation, Montgomery County Detectives interviewed numerous officers and witnesses; reviewed police bodycam and private surveillance videos; and collected extensive on-scene evidence, according to Steele.

“This was a dangerous situation that left one police officer shot and ended after a lengthy standoff,” said Steele. “Our investigation determined the facts of this case supported the use of deadly force by police officers.”

In Pennsylvania, the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer is governed by Section 508 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code. A law enforcement officer is “justified in using deadly force only when he believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or such other person…” according to Steele.

“In addition, the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers is justified to defeat … the escape of a person who possesses a deadly weapon, or otherwise indicates that he will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay,” the release said.

Ecker’s family continues to grapple with the impact of the incident.

“We’re devastated,” Aram Ecker told The Mercury on Monday. “Our grief is beyond describing.”

Ecker said he wanted people to know more about his son than just how he died.

“He loved taking things apart and putting them back together. He loved working with his hands. He even took off his own training wheels. He was a talented technician. I just wish he would have put my tools away,” Ecker said, his voice cracking mid-chuckle.

“He loved cars and his dream car was that Bumble Bee Camaro. He loved it so much, he had the tattoo,” Aram Ecker said.

But Andrew Ecker was also troubled, struggled with addiction, and had spent time in jail. There are indications he had drugs in his system during the incident.

“I’ve struggled to understand how someone so talented could also be so troubled,” Aram Ecker said of his son.

“I will tell you what’s getting us through the day right now is the love, sympathy and understanding of family and friends,” he said. “It’s amazing, you can’t imagine how many people understand what we’re going through from experiences in their own family.”