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Rhonda Jean Russell

Age : 47

Gender : Female

Race : White

Date : 11/17/2021

Location : 615 Fourth St

City : Altoona

County : Blair

State : Pennsylvania

Agency : Altoona City Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Bystander killed by police bullets

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 11/17/2021, Altoona City Police Department personnel responded to a courthouse holding cell incident at 615 Fourth St involving a detained individual and corrections officer Rhonda Jean Russell. During the confrontation the detained individual gained control of a firearm inside the cell area. An officer fired toward the detained individual and struck Russell. She died from the gunshot wound. Reporting described Russell as a veteran county corrections employee working courthouse security duties, and prosecutors later reviewed the incident and declined charges while civil litigation followed the death.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/pennsylvania/articles/2022-07-03/da-late-officer-justified-in-accidental-shooting-death
https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/da-late-officer-justified-in-accidental-shooting-death/
https://wjactv.com/news/local/rhonda-russell-estate-blair-county-co-corrections-officer-line-of-duty-death-wrongful-death-lawsuit-police-officials
https://huntingdondailynews.com/news/local/rhonda-russell-death-reviewed/article