The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office has concluded their review of a June 25, 2021, incident in Lancaster Township that involved a Manheim Township Police Officer firing at the driver of a vehicle after police responded to a report of unauthorized use of a vehicle in the 300 block of Waterford Court, Lancaster Township.  The officer fired at the driver, later identified as 32-year-old Corry Brooks, after Brooks nearly struck the officer on two occasions and rammed a police cruiser.  

District Attorney Heather Adams has concluded that the officer’s use of deadly force was justified as the officer’s belief that he had to defend himself and others from serious bodily injury both as the vehicle nearly struck him and as the vehicle fled was reasonable under Pennsylvania law. 

After the shots were fired, Brooks fled the scene at a high rate of speed and crashed the vehicle approximately three-quarters of a mile away.  Brooks fled the vehicle on foot and remains at large.  

At the time of the encounter, Brooks had existing warrants for Felony Strangulation as well as Flight to Avoid Apprehension from separate incidents.  As a result of this incident, Brooks now stands charged with Aggravated Assault, Flight to Avoid Apprehension, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Institutional Vandalism and Accidents Involving Damage to Property. 

He is presumed innocent. 

Detectives with the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office responded to the scene to investigate the incident.

The incident happened on June 25, 2021, at approximately 8:32 p.m., when Manheim Township police were dispatched to a call for the unauthorized use of a vehicle in the 300 block of Waterford Court, Lancaster.  The victim identified Brooks as the person who had potentially taken the car.  Two officers responded to the area.  Both officers were familiar with Brooks from prior incidents and were aware of the existing warrants.  One officer noticed a vehicle matching the description parked at the far end of a parking lot in another section of the apartment complex with its brake lights illuminated.    

The officers pulled into the parking lot both parking behind the suspect vehicle essentially blocking the vehicle in.  Officer 1 approached the vehicle from the right front and immediately recognized Brooks as the driver and began ordering Brooks to show his hands.  At that time, Officer 2 ran to the driver’s side window and reached for Brooks’ wrist while ordering Brooks to get out of the vehicle multiple times.  Brooks ignored both officers’ commands and immediately put the car into reverse and accelerated, initially taking Officer 2 backwards, until the officer let go of Brooks’ wrist.  Brooks then hit Officer 2’s patrol vehicle, causing damage and shifting the vehicle by a few feet.

Brooks then put the vehicle in drive and turned the car to the left directly towards Officer 2.  Officer 2 stepped backwards to avoid being hit by the vehicle.  The vehicle then travelled into a metal fence.  Brooks then again placed the vehicle in reverse and again accelerated quickly causing the vehicle to slam into a tree.  Officer 2 was in close proximity to the tree.  Brooks placed the car in drive and began moving forward at which time Officer 2 fired eight shots at Brooks’ vehicle’s front door.  It is believed that Brooks was not injured as the investigation revealed that all eight rounds struck the car but none of the eight rounds penetrated the inside of the vehicle.    

Neither officer was injured.  Footage from a dashboard camera in the police cruiser captured the incident and corroborated the officers’ versions of the events. 

“The suspect disregarded multiple lawful commands from the officers, choosing instead to place the officers in apparent danger of death or serious bodily injury.  The officer’s belief that his actions were necessary to protect himself and others from serious physical injury was reasonable given that the driver nearly struck him multiple times and fled the scene in the vehicle” said District Attorney Adams.   

If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Brooks, please call the Manheim Township Police Department at 717-569-6401 or you may provide information anonymously by clicking “Submit-a-Tip” below. 

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/manheimtwppd/53783/submit-tip