Pottstown man who shot officer during domestic violence call sentenced to state prison

A Pottstown man who shot an officer in the leg with his own firearm during a scuffle last year was sentenced Tuesday to 22½ to 45 years in state prison.

William Ciccoli Jr., 43, showed little emotion as he learned his fate, shaking his head as Montgomery County Court Judge Thomas DelRicci handed down his sentence.

The judge told Ciccoli he was shocked by his “lack of remorse and accountability.”

“We all saw the video, yet you claim the ‘gun went off,’” DelRicci said. “It went off because of the defendant’s actions. No other reason.”

After the hearing, Ciccoli denied pulling the trigger on Cpl. Anthony Fischer’s sidearm as they grappled inside Ciccoli’s apartment in November 2024.

“If I disarmed him, my prints would’ve been on that gun,” he said. “I just feel sorry for my family for what has happened, that is all.”

When pressed, Ciccoli said he feels sorry for Fischer, but insisted that he did not shoot him.

Ciccoli’s attorney, Frank Genovese, said he wasn’t surprised by the sentence, which he said he would appeal.

In June, a jury convicted Ciccoli of assault on a law enforcement officer and related crimes, but acquitted him of attempted murder, ruling that he did not intend to kill Fischer when he fired the gun.

Fischer went to Ciccoli’s home on Chestnut Street to respond to a report of a domestic-violence dispute between him and his girlfriend, prosecutors said. While speaking with the officers, Ciccoli became combative and fought with Fischer.

During the scuffle, Ciccoli wedged his hand into the holster on Fischer’s hip and pulled the trigger on his department-issued .40-caliber handgun, according to bodycam footage played during Ciccoli’s trial in June. During the video, Fischer yells “he’s going for my gun,” shortly before a single gunshot rings out.

The shot struck Fischer in his leg, nicking his femoral artery and causing severe injuries that the officer said still prevent him from moving without pain.

District Attorney Kevin Steele, who prosecuted the case, said Tuesday he appreciated that the judge “recognized the seriousness of the case.”

“I think it’s very important for everyone to understand that if you try to disarm a police officer, if you shoot at a police officer you’re going to jail for 20 years,” Steele said, adding that Ciccoli’s repeated profession of innocence is “nonsense.”

“This is a guy that’s not taking accountability for his actions,” Steele said. “We’re here because of his actions.”