GUILFORD TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A trooper of the Pennsylvania State Police was shot over the weekend, and court documents are providing more details about the shooting in Franklin County.
Robert Ransom, 20, of Chambersburg, is charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, DUI and other offenses, reported TheRecordHerald.
Ransom had been patted down and was in handcuffs when he shot Trooper Jason Brindle early Saturday morning following a traffic stop and his subsequent arrest, according to a criminal complaint.
As a result of the shooting, the trooper was taken to a hospital, according to WGAL.
State police said Brindle and another trooper saw a car traveling at an unsafe speed around 2 a.m. Saturday and stopped the driver in the 1400 block of Lincoln Way East in Guilford Township.
Troopers said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana when they approached the car and asked the driver, later identified as Ransom, to step out.
According to the affidavit, one trooper escorted Ransom to the front of the patrol vehicle and patted him down for weapons, but none were found.
Ransom reportedly admitted to smoking marijuana while the troopers conducted a field sobriety test. At the conclusion of the FSTs, troopers decided to make the arrest. When trying to take Ransom into custody, he began to resist, causing troopers and Ransom to wind up on the ground before getting him in handcuffs, according to the affidavit.
After Ransom was in handcuffs, he continued to resist, causing troopers to push him against the side of their patrol vehicle as they were attempting to get him into the backseat.
During that struggle, there was a gunshot.
At that time, one trooper asked the other if it was his gun, to which the second trooper replied “no,” according to the affidavit.
Brindle’s partner said he saw Ransom was holding a silver handgun, which the trooper grabbed and threw aside, court documents said.
State police identified the gun used by Ransom as a .40-caliber High Point pistol in court documents.
Brindle was shot in the pelvic area, reported WGAL.
The state trooper was flown to a local hospital and considered to be in stable condition, state police said in a release on Saturday.
The other trooper suffered a knee injury, but is expected to make a full recovery.
Gov. Tom Wolf provided the following statement after the shooting:
“This morning, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper was shot, while making a traffic stop.
“Thanks to the quick work of colleagues, the suspect is in custody, and the trooper is in stable condition.
“Join me in praying for a full recovery and expressing deep gratitude for our Pennsylvania State Police.“
Ransom is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 10, according to TheRecordHerald.
