PITTSBURGH — When Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala issued his conclusion that the 2018 fatal police shooting of Mark Daniels was a “justified use of force,” his written analysis repeatedly cited a ShotSpotter report he said had “determined that Daniels fired the initial two shots” at the officers.
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But a recently filed deposition by a ShotSpotter engineer in a federal civil lawsuit brought by Daniels’ family shows the report did not include that information.
A spokesman for Zappala said the office stands by its determination that the shooting was justified, saying other evidence led to the conclusion.
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But lawyers and experts say without video of the initial shooting or body camera footage, the findings rely heavily on the officers’ narrative.
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