A Middletown police officer shot and killed the father of a Bristol councilman early Thursday, after the man came at officers with a knife, the Bucks County district attorney confirmed.
Michael Devine, 64, of the 1600 block of West Lincoln Highway was shot once in the chest shortly after 3:30 a.m. and died a short time later at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown.
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| Mike Devine and his granddaughters |
"At this juncture, nothing has indicated anything but a justifiable shooting," DA David Heckler said about his office's investigation. "But we'll dot all our ‘I's and cross all our T's."
Heckler is not releasing the name of the officer who fatally shot Devine, and he did not know if the officer had been taken off duty.
The Courier Times was unsuccessful in reaching Middletown police Chief James Kane immediately for comment.
Devine called 911 to report a burglary in progress at his home, but when a police officer arrived at the scene Devine approached the officer's marked SUV with what appeared to be a large knife, Heckler said.
The officer got out of the vehicle, which then was between him and Devine, drew his service weapon and told Devine to drop the knife, officials said.
As this was happening, another Middletown police officer arrived, saw Devine with the knife and attempted to distract him, police said. Devine then started to approach the second officer with the knife raised, Heckler said.
The second officer drew his service weapon and shot Devine once in the chest.
Heckler said there was no indication of a burglary at Devine's home. He expects his office will make a ruling on the shooting within a week.
The latest shooting is at least the sixth involving a Bucks County police officer since 2009. The most recent incident happened in December when a Bensalem police officer shot and wounded a knife-wielding suspect on a domestic call. The district attorney ruled the shooting justified.
Devine is the father of Bristol Councilman Tony Devine, who said that his father recently had been depressed because of health problems.
Tony said that his father sounded down when he last spoke with him a few days ago. His dad worried he was a burden to the family.
"He was looking for something to feel good about," Devine said. "I really feel my dad was looking for some type of answers."
His father retired about four years ago from a custodian job at Neshaminy High School, a job he loved, because of health problems, Devine said. He had worked for the district for 15 years.
Michael Devine experienced chronic pain from a neck injury, Tony Devine said, but had weaned himself off prescription pain medication within the last six months. To his knowledge, his father was not taking painkillers, Devine said.
Since his retirement, his father spent more time with his 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
"He loved being around his grandchildren," Devine said.
He said his father was a fair man who did the right thing.
Tony Devine recalled one time years ago when his father was injured in a minor car accident with a teenage driver. Someone tried to persuade him to lie about an existing injury to increase his insurance award. But his father refused, saying that he wasn't going to put "this kid through the ringer," he said.
"He was a very good man, a good heart, very solid upstanding citizen. He truly cared about people," Devine added. "My dad was a sweetheart."
December, 2011
Bensalem police fired one shot that hit a Bensalem man who allegedly assaulted his mother on Dec. 8 and then he allegedly lunged at police with a knife above his head, knocking a second officer backwards and down stairs. The suspect Victor Arango was arrested and taken to Aria Health's Torresdale Campus, where he was treated. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
August, 2011
Bristol Township police shot and injured Robert Ritsky, 46, after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at police officers outside his Newportville Road home. Ritsky, who police said appeared intoxicated, initially had pointed the gun at himself, but then he turned it toward police. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
September 2009
A Plumstead police officer shot and killed a fugitive who authorities believed was armed, following a high-speed police chase that ended in a crash.
The officer fired the shot that killed Brian Simmermon, 40, of Riegelsville, because he believed Simmermon, who had been reported to be carrying a loaded handgun, was turning to fire a bullet at him.
During a foot pursuit following the chase and crash, the officer saw the only other policeman involved in the foot chase collapsed on the ground. Dockery initially feared his fellow cop had been shot. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
April 2009
A Bristol police officer shot and killed a 69-year-old Bristol man who pulled a knife during a traffic stop.
An investigation into the shooting determined that Charles Smith had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit the night he was shot and killed on April 9. Police responded to a 911 call that Smith was weaving in traffic and hit several parked cars. When officers approached the car and ordered him to get out, he ignored the orders.
When one of the police officers broke the driver's side window and put his hand into the car to turn off the ignition, Smith reached into the center console and pulled out an 8-inch chef's knife and began making slicing motions at the officers.
Another officer reached in and pushed on Smith's shoulder, but he continued to struggle. That's when the first officer shot Smith once in the chest. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
April 2009
A Middletown police officer shot and killed a 21-year-old man on April 24 after he threatened the officer with a brick.
Police responded to a report that a man had attacked a 17 year-old girl outside the food court at the Oxford Valley Mall, choking her and sticking his fingers in her eyes. The suspect, Tommy Lovett, of Middletown, ran from mall security. A Middletown police officer arrived at the scene and told him to stop, but Lovett ran into a wooded area.
When the officer caught up, Lovett swung a tree branch at the officer, then climbed over a large fallen tree. The officer followed and was preparing to use pepper spray to subdue Lovett. Lovett then picked up a brick.
The officer, whose back was against a tree, told Lovett to drop the brick, but he did not stop and raised the brick over his head. The officer fired one shot that didn't hit Lovett or cause him to drop the brick. The officer then filed two more shots that hit Lovett. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
Feb 2009
A Bristol Township police officer fired a single shot, killing a suspect who charged at her wielding a piece of broken glass.
The incident occurred at a Mill Creek Road apartment complex on Feb. 25. Randall Pagano, 26, was schedule to meet with his probation officer at his apartment. When Pagano refused to let the probation officer in, he contacted police for backup. Two Bristol Township officers responded.
Pagano did not answer the door, so a maintenance worker unlocked the door. A large barricade of furniture blocked the doorway. The police and probation officer squeezed through the barricade and searched the apartment. They found Pagano in a door-less closet in the bedroom wearing only underwear.
Pagano did not respond to their commands to leave the closet and was pepper sprayed twice before he punched out an empty glass aquarium in the closet. He grabbed a large shard of glass, which the police officers ordered him to drop. He did not.
Pagano lunged at the three men, and one officer fired once hitting Pagano in the chest. The officers administered First-Aid before Pagano was taken to St. Mary Medical Center and pronounced dead. The Bucks County District Attorney ruled the shooting justified.
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