Man shot, killed by police in Monongahela
MONONGAHELA, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man was shot and killed by Monongahela police Sunday night.
Police were called to Lincoln and Thomas Streets Sunday night after reports of a 29-year-old Cody Bennett firing shots near a child's birthday party.
According to the police report, Bennett went to a house down the road from his home on Thomas Street where a family was celebrating a child's birthday.
The police report said Bennett was not invited, but he introduced himself to the family and said he lived nearby.
According to the report, he appeared to be intoxicated and was making a married woman and two underaged girls uncomfortable and was asked to leave.
"Bennett was observed taking shots of liquor and had also consumed multiple alcoholic beverages while present," the report said.
According to the report, Bennett returned to the house later on, shot two rounds into the back door and walked away. The family called the police.
According to the report, Monongahela police encountered Bennett on Lincoln Street and he shot his gun in the direction of an officer. Police fired back, hitting Bennett. He was taken to the hospital but died.
Bennet's mother said he was the happiest he's ever been yesterday and his life should have not ended this way.
"He was my heart," said Marci Doty Fitterer. "My children are my heart and I just want people to know he was a living breathing, human being and you're judging him for one night. You don't know the whole story. You don't. I'm not saying what he did was right. But he's still a son, a grandson, an uncle, a brother."
Doty-Fetterer said Bennett was happy Sunday, saying his truck just got fixed and he was excited to finally be able to get his boat out again. She said she doesn't understand what happened at the party.
"It doesn't make any sense. Why you would go from being that happy to just completely losing it? It doesn't make any sense," Doty-Fetterer said.
She said there was no way to know what was said at the party.
"He has no side of his story. I'm gonna be his side of the story and I'm not saying what happened was right and that what he did was right, but he's still my baby and we'll never ever get to see him again," Doty-Fetterer said.
The Washington County district attorney said the shooting remains under investigation. Once it's complete, he will review it and make a determination on how to move forward with the case. The officer who shot Bennett is on administrative leave.
So far, no charges have been filed.
