Understanding the Fanta Bility shooting | Morning Newsletter

Happy Veterans Day.

It might be a good idea to stay inside. Expect rain all day with a chance of thunderstorms. We have a lot to cover today.

Three former Sharon Hill officers pleaded guilty yesterday to reckless endangerment in the death of 8-year-old Fanta Bility.

The news comes after more than a year of Fanta’s family and community activists seeking accountability for the little girl’s death. Her story has been the source of several protests and calls for reform.

Our main story breaks down the case.

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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Fanta Bility was the daughter of immigrants from Liberia. Her loved ones described her as a vibrant child who loved to dance and draw.

What happened the night Fanta Bility died?

On Aug. 27, 2021, Fanta and her family went to a high school football game to watch her older sister perform as a cheerleader.

Three Sharon Hill Police officers opened fire on a Chevrolet Impala after the game. The officers — Brian Devaney, Sean Dolan and Devon Smith — were responding to a shooting that had occurred about a block away.

Some bullets flew past the car and struck four people in the crowd, including Fanta.

Who has been charged?

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollstiemer first charged two teenagers with murder who got into a gunfight nearby. They were the source of the initial gunfire, not the car like the three officers thought.

Amid public outcry, those charges were withdrawn and replaced with aggravated assault.

The three former officers were charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and related crimes.

Have the officers involved in the incident been fired?

They were fired in a 6-1 vote by the Sharon Hill Borough Council days after they were charged.

Keep reading to find out what’s next in the Fanta Bility case.

Days after a disappointing election, prominent Republicans in the state don’t want Donald Trump to be the face of the GOP.

Several Republican elected officials, strategists, and party leaders told The Inquirer that Trump’s abrasive style repels suburban swing voters.

Notable quote: “If anything should be taken away from this election, it’s that we should be over Trump. If you’re not a Never Trumper yet, you should be an Over-Trumper now,” said Matthew Brouillette, head of the influential conservative group Commonwealth Partners.

Don’t forget: Sen. Pat Toomey blamed Trump for Republican election failures in Pennsylvania.

The alternative option: Party insiders are eyeing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dominated his reelection campaign and is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2024.

This could get dicey as Trump hinted he could launch a reelection campaign as early as next week.

Keep reading to uncover how Pennsylvania Republicans are responding to the man at the center of their party.

This bolo de rolo de abóbora com especiarias (spiced pumpkin cake roll) has been taking up space in my mind rent-free for the past four days.

It will soon be the weekend and I plan on starting it with this.

Can you guess where it’s from? Find out if you know the answer.

🍎 Reading: Mrs. Abbott’s advice for teacher-student relationships (Yes, Mrs. Abbott from Abbott Elementary)

👀 Watching: Georgia’s runoff election between incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.

Hint: public transportation

CAPOT

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Christine Jackson, who correctly guessed Down North as Thursday’s answer.

And that’s your Friday. I hope you’re excited for the weekend. Ashley Hoffman will be take care of you Sunday.