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Lancaster DA: Final determination on Sept. 13 officer-involved shooting will be issued 'in the near future'

District Attorney Heather Adams will soon issue a determination on whether the officer who shot and killed Ricardo Munoz was justified, her office said Friday.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Editor's Note: The above video is from Sept. 18.

The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Friday it has received the final reports and pieces of information regarding the death of Ricardo Munoz in a police-involved shooting last month, and that it will issue its determination of whether use of force was justified "in the near future."

Munoz, 27, was shot and killed by a police officer responding to a reported domestic disturbance call at a home on the 300 block of Laurel Street in Lancaster at about 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 13. 

The officer's body cam footage showed that when the officer got in front of a home near the scene, Munoz immediately emerged from inside and ran toward the officer, brandishing a knife above his head, in clear view, in a threatening manner. 

The officer then fired, striking Munoz, who died at the scene.

The incident sparked protests outside the Lancaster Bureau of Police Station, resulting in the arrests of 13 people over two days.

Munoz's family spoke out after the incident, saying he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early twenties, and he also suffered from a bipolar disorder. 

His sister told FOX43 that Munoz's mother called the Lancaster Bureau of Police and Crisis Intervention on the day of the incident, hoping that Munoz could receive help. They say they did not call 911. 

Lancaster mayor Danene Sorace called the shooting "a heartbreaking day for our city" and said the incident highlights the need for more mental and behavioral health programs across the state.  

Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser, who announced his retirement last week, said in the days following the shooting that, from his perspective, nothing there was nothing that the officer involved could have done differently to change the outcome of the events on Sept. 13.

"When it's a lethal threat, unfortunately, we have to react with lethal force, and unfortunately, it's tragic for everyone involved," he said.

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