Tredyffrin residents are concerned over the police response to the suspect who allegedly shot and killed a woman in a random attack

Residents in Tredyffrin, where a woman was killed in a random act of violence last weekend, said Monday that more could have been done in the hours leading up to the shooting and criticized the township’s lack of communication before and after the crime.

The remarks were brought before the township’s elected board of supervisors in the first public meeting since Steve Jahn, 44, was arrested and charged with murdering Megan Nieberle, a 53-year-old nurse, while she was driving home from seeing friends late in the evening of March 7. She died the next day.

Residents were chilled by the fact that, in the hours before Jahn killed Nieberle, he had called the police himself, telling them he was being followed by undercover officers, according to authorities. Officers, who said Jahn was showing “frantic behavior,” escorted him to Paoli Hospital for a voluntary mental health evaluation but let him leave when he requested it, knowing he legally owned firearms and had one with him. Jahn was arrested and charged with murder the day after the shooting.

“We can frame this a lot of ways: It was a random act of violence,” said resident Joe Maugeri. “But we could also frame it as: Was it a preventable act of violence? And I think that’s the question that all of us are thinking. Were there tools that police had? Were there things that could have been done?”

Authorities said that Jahn had no connection with Nieberle, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia nurse and mother of three. A few hours after leaving the hospital, Jahn allegedly drove to the intersection of Contention Lane and Old State Road in Berwyn and shot Nieberle from his car.

Passersby who saw Nieberle’s crashed car called police, who rushed her to Paoli Hospital.

Her death has “left a profound void in the hearts of the many who were fortunate enough to know and love her,” loved ones wrote in her obituary last week. Nieberle’s “warmth, humor, and loyalty made her a cherished presence in the community,” the obituary says.

In his opening remarks Monday, board chairman David Miller said that officers were limited in what they could do that day. Pennsylvania has no “red flag” law, which allows for the temporary removal of lawfully owned guns when the owner appears at risk for danger.

“Now I’m not saying a red flag law would have changed what happened on [that] night. I can’t know that, but certainly would have given our police another tool to help manage the situation,” Miller said.

Such a measure has repeatedly failed to get enough support in politically divided Harrisburg. Another version of the bill was introduced this session.

Democratic State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, who represents the area, said in a statement that there had been an increase in interest in extreme risk protection orders in the community.

“The loss of our neighbor was tragic, and while we may not know for certain if an ERPO would have prevented this senseless tragedy, we do know they help to reduce gun violence and keep our communities safer,” she said.

Residents also criticized the township for not notifying the community of the possible danger, saying they went more than 30 hours before knowing Jahn had been arrested.

“What are the protocols and policies that we have in place around notification when things like this happen?” resident Katie Angstadt asked. “From what we’ve understood is that there was someone in our community who was very dangerous, armed for six or seven hours, and we were not notified.”

Superintendent of Police T. Michael Beaty said he understood why the incident was concerning.

“Questions about firearm laws and policy are ultimately determined by legislators at the state and federal levels. Our role as law enforcement is to enforce the laws as they exist and to investigate crimes thoroughly when they occur,” he told them. “That said, when tragedies like this happen, it often leads to important conversations about how we can strengthen public policy, improve crisis intervention, and ensure officers and communities have the tools that they need to prevent violence whenever possible.

“This is a very devastating situation, which has left a profound impact on many of our community members. At this time, my deepest condolences are with Megan’s family and loved ones as they navigate this unexpected loss. While I cannot speak on the timeline or specifics of the investigation, I know it remains ongoing.”

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