An investigation by North Penn Now into a shooting incident that occurred in Montgomery Township on Tuesday night has determined that a 32-year-old male committed suicide while awaiting arraignment on felony child pornography charges.
During the afternoon of Feb. 11, North Penn Now submitted a written request for access to case records regarding a 32-year-old Montgomery Township man who had been charged with 10 felony counts of dissemination of child pornography and one felony count of criminal use of a communication facility. The suspect was to be arraigned in district court at 1:30 p.m., but a district court staffer later stated that the suspect failed to appear for his arraignment, and we could not have access to the complaint until he was arraigned on the charges.
Later that day, police and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to a residence on Livingston Court at 5:11 p.m. for a report of a shooting. Two sources told North Penn Now that the incident was not criminal, but involved either a suicide or suicide attempt with a firearm.
Montgomery Township Police Chief Scott Bendig declined to comment on the nature of the incident—as is customary when dealing with a suicide—but confirmed that police were investigating and added that there was no threat to, or concern for, public safety.
On Wednesday evening, one of the initial sources provided additional information to North Penn Now, identifying the child pornography suspect by name and address, and adding that the suspect and the suicide victim were one and the same. With the child pornography case being handled by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, North Penn Now reached out to the district attorney’s office for more information.
Kate Delano, the Director of Communications for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office responded to our request on Thursday afternoon, confirming that the 32-year-old male is now deceased. Delano added that the manner of death has not been ruled on by the county coroner, but sources tell North Penn Now that the 32-year-old male died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
North Penn Now is withholding the name of the suspect, as he is deceased and revealing his name would only cause harm to his family.
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