UPDATE(4): York County DA says police shooting of man with gun was justified

UPDATE:

York County District Attorney has released the findings on the death of Clifton Thomson, the man who was killed last week in a gun fight.

Thompson refused to listen to police as they told him to put the gun down and fired a round at them from a distance, missing the officers. Officers tried to negotiate with him, despite being fired on him.

He continued to refuse and exited the home, into the area of additional officers. He refused and walked toward the officers with the rifle in his hands.

Thompson then drew the rifle and pointed it at the officers, who responded by firing four rounds, striking and killing Thompson.

In this case, the deadly force used by the officers was reasonable considering the circumstances.

Thompson had clearly expressed his suicidal intent to crisis intervention before police arrived on scene.

Police fired at him as a last resort only after making it quite clear who they were and that they had their weapons ready. For this reason, this case may be classified as a suicide by cop.

The officers were clearly in danger of immediate serious injury or death at the time they fired at Mr. Thompson.

The officers were clearly in imminent danger of immediate serious bodily injury or death at the time they discharged their weapons at Mr. Thompson. It is also beyond question that the officers' fear of immediate serious bodily injury or death was reasonable. Their intention was to help prevent violence not cause it.

According to the DA, "The cause of death is determined to be gunshot wounds. The manner of death is determined to be justifiable homicide. The officers involved may be returned to duty upon being determined to be psychologically fit."

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The York County Coroner's office reports Clifton Thomson's cause of death was one gunshot to the head.  The manor of death is homicide.

PSP is investigating.

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UPDATE (2):

One man is dead following a gun fight between police and a 72-year-old man. The family tells CBS 21 the man battled depression and anxiety for a long time. 

But neighbors say they aren't surprised that this happened.  But Clifton Thomson's daughter is still in a state of shock at the home where her father died early Thursday morning. "The only thing I got to say is he isn't the monster everybody thinks he is."

She says she doesn't think he was trying to harm anyone.   "He wasn't trying to shoot at the cops.  I think he was depressed and that was his way of doing it without doing it himself."

Police rushed to Thomson's home 475 Hykes Mil Road, Conewago Township, York County.  They say a local crisis center got a call from Thomson, who said he was going to kill himself.

Police say Clifton was shooting at them with his rifle, and when they asked him to put it down, he didn't and ran towards them.

State Trooper Robert Hicks says the officers didn't want it to end this way.  "An officer never wants to discharge his weapon.  When a situation like that where Mr. Thomson was advancing on an officer with a weapon, not listening to verbal commands, that officer really didn't have a choice."

Police say they shot and killed him, and when his wife heard those shots, she knew something bad had just happened

"Did you have a feeling something bad was going to happen?  Yes.  Yes I did." Clifton's wife Joan told us off camera.  She said he battled depression and took medications.  "He just couldn't take no more."

A neighbor told us, Clifton's son committed suicide at a baseball field just down the street.  His son's suicide happened 20 years ago next month. "As a parent I'm sure if that would happen you'd never be the same.  And that is what his wife had said and she said he'd never been the same since that had happened."

Clifton's wife Joan was inside the home at the time.  She was able to get out safely but she says she still can't believe what happened.

State Police handled the investigation, and as of now, those officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave.

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UPDATE:

Around 2 a.m. Thursday morning, the Northern York Regional Police Department was called to 475 Hykes Mil Road, Conewago Township, York County for a welfare check.

Clifton Thomson, 72, was on the phone with Adams County crisis.  He told dispatch he had a gun and was thinking about harming himself.   

According to a press release, when officers arrived on scene, they made contact with Thomson's wife inside the house, and were able to get her out and to a safe location.  Officers found Thomson inside with a 30-30 rifle and tried with negotiating him.

Officers asked Thomson to put the rifle down and fired a round at officers at close range.  No officers were injured.  Officers continued to negotiate but Thomson refused to put down the rifle, and ran out the back door. 

An officer outside the home confronted Thomson, who started to come after the officer.  The officer opened fire and struck Thomson multiple times. 

The officers involved were put on administrative leave, which is department policy. 

The incident is under investigation by State Police.

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