Unlimited Digital Access - Start Today for 50% Off - Offer Expires 4/30/24

Man to spend decades in prison for shooting Pa. police officer: reports

By

A man accused of shooting a McKeesport police officer in front of the department’s station in 2020 pleaded guilty to the crime on Tuesday and was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison, according to reports from KDKA and WTAE.

Koby Lee Francis pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including attempted homicide and aggravated assault, for shooting and wounding officer Gerasimos Athans, 32, on Dec. 20, 2020.

Francis shot Athans after he had been detained for violating a PFA, reports said. When Athans arrived with Francis at the police station, Francis shot at the officer three times, police said. Athans returned fire, but Francis ran away, with his hands still handcuffed, video shows.

Francis was apprehended ten days later by U.S. Marshals in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

Athans recovered and returned to work less than a month after the shooting, WTAE said.

READ MORE: Man accused of shooting western Pa. police officer arrested in West Virgina: police

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

X

Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

If you opt out, we won’t sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.