Philadelphia

2 men plead guilty in shooting death of Philly SWAT Sgt. James O'Connor

Hassan Elliott, 26, and Khalif Sears, 23, admitted to killing SWAT Cpl. James O’Connor IV, on Friday, March 13, 2020

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The man accused of shooting and killing a veteran Philadelphia SWAT officer pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday. NBC10’s Yukare Nakayama reports. 

Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and racketeering charges in the March 2020 shooting death of a Philadelphia police officer.

Hassan Elliott, 26, and Khalif Sears, 23, admitted to killing SWAT Cpl. James O’Connor IV, on Friday, March 13, 2020, as police sought to arrest them in connection to a 2019 homicide. As police climbed an interior stairwell at Elliott's apartment on Bridge Street near Duffield Street, he fired a dozen shots through a wall that struck O’Connor in the neck and arm, authorities said.

Sears and two others were arrested inside. Federal prosecutors said they were part of a gang that had shot a dozen people, killing three, as they sought to control drug sales in the city's Frankford section.

They plan to recommend that Elliott serve 55 to 75 years in prison and Sears, as a co-conspirator, serve 35 to 50 years in prison. The pair are expected to be sentenced this spring. An attorney for Sears declined comment while Elliott's lawyer did not immediately return phone and email messages seeking comment Wednesday.

O'Connor's family has said that they view Elliott's guilty plea as a "good outcome."

"This is a good outcome. We don't have to sit in court for two months," said Terri O'Connor, wife of slain Sgt. James O'Connor shortly after her husband's killer admitted his crimes in court. "But, it's so unnecessary for that to have to happen. He just went to work to do his job and he didn't come home to us..."

O'Connor's wife told NBC10's Yukare Nakayama that it has been a difficult few years since her husband's murder.

"I couldn't take my eyes off of the man who killed Jimmy," said O'Connor outside the courtroom on Wednesday. "He ruined our lives for no reason."

Recalling her husband's life, O'Connor said that he had always wanted to be on the SWAT team and that he was a loveable person who was adored by many.

"My birthday was March 12th and he was killed eight hours later," she recalled. "Everything was just taken from us."

Asked about Elliott's plea deal, O'Connor said that the family "got what we wanted," after waiting for years to have the case come to trial.

"I think we made some good choices to get us where we are today." said a teary eyed O'Connor of the day's hearing. "We are pretty confident that he will never be out of jail."

Elliott's attorney Kenneth Montgomery told NBC10 that he has accepted responsibility and is remorseful.

Officials said that Elliott is expected to be sentenced at an upcoming hearing on April 25, 2025 while Sears will be sentenced in the spring as well.

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