No charge in shooting death of Jamaica-born man in Pennsylvania

Lester Hinds, Gleaner Writer 

The family of Jamaica-born Peter Spencer has vowed to continue to seek justice after the authorities in Pennsylvania announced that no charge is to be brought in relation to his shooting death.

“We are not giving up. We are not done. Even if I have to stand alone I want answers in the death of my son,” declared the mother of the deceased, Icilda Spencer-Hunter.

Spencer was fatally shot while on a camping trip in Venango County in western Pennsylvania last December.

Venango County District Attorney Shawn White announced on Tuesday that the shooting was justified and no one will be held criminally responsible for the death.

White said that Spencer’s killing was justified under Pennsylvania stand your ground law.

He said his office cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Spencer’s death was not self-defence.

White further said that the police indicated that there was no evidence that there was hate or that there was racial bias in the killing of Spencer.

But, Spencer-Hunter is accusing the authorities of whitewashing the killing of her son.

“We will be speaking with our attorney as to how we move forward but I want answers,” she said.

Incident 

Spencer was invited to go camping in December with his friend, according to police.

Spencer was found shot in Rockland Township in the early morning hours of December 12, 2021, after police were called to a residence on Carls Road shortly before 2:30 am.

Spencer, 29, of Pittsburg, was found to have several gunshot wounds.

His body was found on the front lawn of the property.

White said when the police responded, Spencer was found dead at the campsite along with several guns, marijuana and psychedelic drugs

According to him, a suspect reported that Spencer got out the AK-47 and started shooting in the air.

He further stated that the suspect told the police that Spencer “went insane” and made the group get on the ground and that is when he shot Spencer with his pistol.

“There were threats made to shoot up the place, that the suspect believed Spencer intended to kill them all. The suspect turned around with the AK-47 pointed at him by Spencer. The suspect drew his 9mm pistol.” White said in a statement.

He continued: “This is not a case of where he was shot once and disabled or that someone got up and executed him. This is not a case where a gun was put in his mouth and shot execution-style.”

White said that the suspect had the right to carry but Spencer brought two assault rifles to the camp that were not permitted to him.

He further said in his statement that all the witnesses were upfront about drugs being used that day on the property and it was after the drug use that Spencer became reckless and started firing shots.

White said toxicology shows that Spencer did have drugs in his system.

“While we disagree with the decision we are not surprised by it. This is the type of behaviour we have seen from the PA state police and Venango County district attorney from the outset,” said the attorney for Spencer’s family, Paul Jubas.

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