The Dauphin County District Attorney's Office filed criminal
charges against a Harrisburg Police Officer accused of shooting his wife in the
buttocks. Officer William Owens will receive summary citations for simple
assault with a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, false report to
law enforcement and discharging a weapon in the City of Harrisburg.
According to District Attorney Ed Marsico, Lakita Owens was
taken to Hershey Medical Center around six o'clock, Saturday morning, May 26,
suffering from a gunshot wound to the buttocks. She was driven there by her
husband, Harrisburg Police Officer William Owens and his brother. She had been
shot outside her home at 1400 Wayne Street in Harrisburg.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Owens initially
told police he was roasting a pig for a family luau later that Memorial Day
weekend. His wife had gone outside to check on the pig.
He went looking for her and discovered she'd been shot. The
story was concocted by a friend, and he agreed to go along with it. But he
quickly decided to tell the truth.
Owens had been placed administrative leave following the
incident. His future status with the department is unknown at this time.
The District Attorney says guns and alcohol are not a good
mix. People who are under the influence do stupid things with guns.
He said Owens' irresponsible actions are a black mark on law
enforcement. Although a six-year prison term is the maximum upon conviction,
Marsico says sentencing guidelines would stipulate a lesser penalty.
Officer Bill Owens was charged today. He is facing three
summary charges of reckless endangerment, simple assault, and providing false
information. He will be mailed thee charges
New information is coming out of the Dauphin County District
Attorney’s Office about a Harrisburg Police Officer who shot his wife in the
buttocks. The DA says that his team is
investigating to determine if they'll file criminal charges and they may make
that decision by the end of this week.
A city spokesperson had said that this was an accident, but
someone was still hurt so the Dauphin County District Attorney says that's why
this officer may face charges.
Another source with the DA's office tells us that Harrisburg
officer William Owens fired his city-issued gun in the air at least six or
seven times, when one of the bullets hit his wife in the buttocks.
DA Ed Marsico says this happened Saturday around 6 p.m., as
the officer and his family were enjoying a Memorial Day weekend cook-out at the
1400 block of Wayne Street.
Marsico says Officer
Owens pulled out his gun, after he and his family had a discussion about
firearms.
"There were individuals socializing there, there was a
discussion about firearms and Officer Owens retrieved his fire arm and at that
point in time, some shots were fired and as you pointed out one of those shots
did strike his wife."
Marsico also says his investigators are trying to determine
if Officer Owens tampered with the scene. After his wife was shot in the butt,
he drove her to the hospital and called police from there.
Officer Owens is on disability so he was on light duty at
work. He's now suspended without pay.
In the meantime, the officer's wife, Lakita Owens, is
recovering and in good condition.
A spokesperson for the City of Harrisburg says right now the
situation involving a police officer discharging his gun and hitting his wife
was an accident.
Right now, officials are releasing very few details about
the incident, but we do know the officer involved has been suspended from the
police bureau.
“There was an unfortunate incident early Saturday morning,”
stated City Spokesperson Bob Philbin.
That incident involved a Harrisburg City Police Officer and
happened around 6 a.m. Saturday. One report says it happened in the 1400 block
of Wayne Street.
“Police officer accidentally, apparently accidentally
discharged his weapon injuring his wife,” Philbin commented.
The officer's wife was reportedly hit in the buttocks and
her condition is unknown. Right now the officer's name is not being released
but a county agency has taken over the investigation.
“I think Dauphin County Criminal Investigative Division will
look into this thoroughly, CID is outside of the Bureau of Police so we just
need to let that investigation run it's cause and we'll see what happens,”
Philbin concluded.