Officials detail new law named for murdered 8-year-old – NBC10 Philadelphia

Elected officials from across the state joined the family of murdered 8-year-old Fanta Bility Monday to discuss new legislation to provide additional training to police.

Bility, 8, was killed by police gunfire on August 27, 2021 when officers fired on a vehicle they suspected of being involved in a shooting outside a high school football game by Sharon Hill.

Family members and elected officials gathered outside the Academy Park High School football field, near where Bility was shot, to detail a call for additional training for officers to prevent incidents similar ones do not recur.

This legislation is being introduced by State Sen. Anthony Williams (D-8th Dist.) who represents Sharon Hill, Pa., and a companion bill will be introduced by the state representative. David Delloso (D-162nd Dist.) in the House who also represents Sharon Hill, Pa.

Williams said the intent of the bill is to help all officers — especially part-time and new officers — with training focused on how to handle high-stress situations.

“Delaware County is different than Philadelphia County in that we have part-time and entry-level officers who are placed in situations that they are not fully prepared to respond to, which unfortunately can lead to tragedies like this -this or others,” Williams said. .

Delloso, who grew up in Sharron Hill and said he played on those fields as a child, said the girl's life should be remembered and training was needed to prevent shooting incidents similar in the future.

“The shock and sadness of the event that brings us here today is unlike anything I experienced as a young man growing up in Sharon Hill,” he said.

He said the training required by the legislation will allow police officers to gain more experience in handling situations of “high pressure and difficult decisions.”

“My legislation isn’t just about spending more time on the range and shooting straighter,” he said. “My legislation is about making the best decision…Frankly, our men and women volunteer to serve us and they never want to make bad decisions.”

The new legislation, officials said in a statement at today's event, will be called “Fanta Law.”

Williams' bill calls for additional use-of-force training four times a year for officers, which “would provide all Delaware County police officers with additional education and training on how and when to use force in emergency situations.

During the day, officials said they hoped the legislation — which is currently being developed in Harrisburg — would be passed statewide instead of focusing solely on officers in Delaware County.

Sadiq Kamara, Fanta's cousin and co-chair of the Fanta Bility Foundation, said the long road to crafting this legislation was worth it if it could prevent similar incidents from happening again.

“This is a very emotional day for me and my family,” he said. “We miss Fanta every day.”