February 10, 2015
Source:/Montgomery County District Attorney's Office
Richard Schroeter is charged in the death of Trooper David Kedra during a firearm training session.
A Pennsylvania state police corporal has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting last year of another trooper, Montgomery County officials announced Tuesday.
Cpl. Richard Schroeter, 42, of Royersford, was conducting a firearms training session at the Public Safety Training Campus in Plymouth Township in late September.
Prosecutors say Schroeter was discussing trigger mechanics when he pulled the trigger on his duty-issued gun, discharging a live round, which struck and killed trooper David Kedra.
A grand jury found insufficient evidence that Schroeter consciously disregarded human life, and therefore could not establish probable cause that he committed involuntary manslaughter. But it was concluded that Schroeter did not follow necessary precautions during the training.
“The corporal involved should be held accountable for his actions and today’s ... decision is meant to impose a substantial punishment for the behavior of a law enforcement officer,” said Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Marcus L. Brown. “Clearly standard protocols were not followed by the corporal and we need to make sure that this type of accident will never happen again.”
Schroeter has been charged with five counts of reckless endangerment.
He has already waived his preliminary hearing. Bail was set at $50,000.
