Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Did a Bristol Township high school teacher go too far when he followed and then shot a bank robbery suspect in Montgomery County Wednesday morning?
That’s the question Hatboro police, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and residents are trying to answer.
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Police said 60-year-old Hatboro resident and council member George Forgeng shot 30-year-old Kevin Philip-Johnson Way, who is suspected of robbing the TD Bank in the heart of Hatboro, after he saw a dye pack explode . The shooting happened after Harry S. Truman High School technology education/industrial arts teacher chased Way more than half a mile through residential neighborhoods and across SEPTA train tracks before firing his legally carried firearm behind a commercial building.
While Forgeng saw the dye pack explode, he was not in the oft-robbed bank branch at the time and did not see the robbery take place, according to authorities.
From the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office:
According to the Mr. Forgeng, he thought the defendant was armed because he had robbed the bank. Mr. Forgeng also indicated to police that he repeatedly yelled to the defendant to get on the ground; however, after the defendant stopped running, he instead turned and started coming toward him. Mr. Forgeng fired shots toward the defendant, striking the suspect in the hand and arm.
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Way was hit the arm and hand, suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
According to investigators, Way later admitted to robbing the TD Bank and was charged.
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Some on social media have wondered whether the shooting was justified and pondered what could have happened if a bystander was struck by a bullet.
Former Bucks County Assistant District Attorney Dave Zellis told Philly.com Forgeng could face charges depending on the outcome of the investigation.
“If it turns out that he wasn’t sure if it was the robber . . . he had no reason to believe the person was armed, and there were no movements that appeared that he was armed . . . then the question is, can he shoot somebody under those circumstances?” Zellis told the website.
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Without a completed investigation report released or much further detail from authorities, The Doylestown Intelligencer printed an editorial on Thursday saying “there appears to be no justification for the shooting.”
Forgeng was not home for comment when LevittownNow.com visited his Hatboro house Wednesday evening and a phone number that appeared to be his rang unanswered. Philly.com reporter Laura McCrystal briefly spoke with Forgeng’s wife, who said he had not retained an attorney.
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Here’s what LevittownNow.com readers on Facebook had to say:
Jonathan Aubel: I support the right to carry. But I have to say I’m unsure about this. I would never pull out my weapon unless a life was threatened. No I don’t think he should be charged. But I’m sure he had pure intentions.
Amy Connell-Figueroa: He shot in in arm and hand, didn’t aim for heart or head…..good job!!! If that was me, I would do the same…aim for knees and below to slow him down!!!!!!
Tim Edward: The ones saying call the cops or he never should of chased him or why would he put himself in harms way for a bank… You are all very closed minded and clueless to the secondary portion of the crime.Can any of you honestly say the robber/criminal wasn’t on his way to car jack an innocent person stopped at a red light at the corner? How about three blocks later a cop corners him and he takes your wife and children hostage? OR a manhunt ensues and he gets into a shoot out and kills a cop.NOW… this brave man follows him and legally instructs him as a citizens arrest to get down. The robber/criminal then charges the brave man and the brave man envoke his Stand Your Ground right to forcefully protect himself and anyone else that robber/criminal may encounter.Everything in the 2nd paragraph never happened because a brave man thought ahead and stopped the robber/criminal because no cop was around and potentially save many lives.
Lindsay Kott: For the people who say he committed a crime…. The article states he didn’t shoot UNTIL the bank robber ran at him! He followed the robber a half mile and told him to get down. He was CHARGED. HE SHOT. THE END. HIS LIFE COULDVE BEEN IN DANGER AND HE STOOD HIS GROUND ACCORDING TO THE AMMENDMENT.
Zach Marcelis: The suspect should be lucky he is alive! If a cop had shot at him for charging he would have killed him.
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