A motive was underneath investigation on Monday into the deadly taking pictures of a Pennsylvania state trooper who was gunned down throughout a visitors cease Sunday night time by an alleged erratic driver who died on the scene by suicide, authorities mentioned.
The trooper was recognized by authorities as Cpl. Timothy O’Connor Jr., a 15-year-veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police.
“I’m profoundly saddened to announce that tonight the Pennsylvania State Police household misplaced a son, misplaced a hero and misplaced a devoted public servant,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro mentioned at a Sunday night time information convention.
Cpl. Timothy O’Connor Jr. of the Pennsylvania State Police was killed within the line of responsibility, March 8, 2026, by a suspect he stopped for erratic driving.
Pennsylvania State Police
The governor mentioned the 40-year-old O’Connor, a married father of a younger daughter, was killed “doing what he devoted his life to and that’s serving others, conserving our group secure, searching for his fellow Pennsylvanians.”
O’Connor was shot throughout a visitors cease close to West Caln Township in Chester County, Lt. Col. George Bivins of the Pennsylvania Police mentioned at a information convention Sunday night time.
Bivins mentioned O’Connor was shot after he responded to a name round 8:16 p.m. close to Honey Brook in Chester County. O’Connor situated and stopped the car round 8:24 p.m. close to Route 10 in West Caln Township, Bivins mentioned.
This picture exhibits the aftermath of a taking pictures, March 8, 2026, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, that killed Cpl. Tim O’Connor of the Pennsylvania State Police.
WPVI
“He made a radio transmission indicating he was stopping the car and that’s the final we heard from Cpl. O’Connor,” Bivins mentioned.
Bivins mentioned a patrol officer was despatched to examine on O’Connor’s well-being “and located a really unhealthy scenario.”
A preliminary investigation discovered that “inside seconds” of pulling the motive force over, O’Connor was fatally shot, Bivins mentioned.
The State Police recognized the alleged gunman Monday afternoon as 32-year-old Jesse Nathan Elks of Honey Brook, Chester County.
“The motive force opened hearth from contained in the car, struck him simply as he [O’Connor] approached the motive force’s aspect of the car,” Bivins mentioned. “Cpl. O’Connor went down with a deadly wound instantly on the scene.”
Bivins mentioned that after allegedly taking pictures O’Connor, the suspect bought out of his automobile, walked a brief distance and shot himself with a semiautomatic pistol. He was pronounced useless on the scene, Bivins mentioned.
Detectives from the state police and the county are conducting a joint investigation into the taking pictures with the Chester County District Lawyer’s Workplace.
“Within the coming days, we’re going to be trying into his background and his motives,” Chester County District Lawyer Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe mentioned Sunday.
Shapiro mentioned he was at Paoli Hospital on Sunday night time with O’Connor’s spouse, Casey, and his mother and father.
“My coronary heart breaks for Tim and Casey’s younger daughter and their complete household,” Shapiro mentioned in an announcement.
