A man convicted of killing a Pennsylvania state trooper in a 2014 ambush was sentenced to death Wednesday. But odds are he will never be executed.
Ambush Killer of PA Trooper Gets Death Penalty, Unlikely to Ever be Executed
Frein was the subject of a six-week manhunt until he was arrested on Oct. 30, 2014. He was convicted last week of 12 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism. He'd faced the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty.
April 27, 2017
1 min to read
A jury said Eric Frein, 33, should be executed in the Sept. 12, 2014 sniper attack that killed state Cpl. Bryon Dickson and wounded another trooper.
Frein was the subject of a six-week manhunt until he was arrested on Oct. 30, 2014. He was convicted last week of 12 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism. He'd faced the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty.
Frein opened fire on Dickson during a shift change, and shot trooper Alex Douglass after he came to his colleague's aid, authorities have said.
It's unclear when or if the death penalty could be carried out. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty, and Pennsylvania's last execution took place in 1999, NBC News reports.
More Patrol
2 Florida Officers Shot After Shots-Fired Call
Two officers were shot in Gainesville, Florida, by a man who police say was leaving an area where he had killed a man inside a business. The suspect exited his vehicle in what the chief termed an “ambush-style” attack.
Read More →
Mistaken Identity: Ohio Police Department Harassed After ICE OIS
An Ohio police department has received harassing phone calls and social media messages because it has an officer with the same name as the ICE officer identified in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, officer-involved shooting.
Read More →
Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025
What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.
Read More →
Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement
A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.
Read More →
Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities
Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.
Read More →
Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility
The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.
Read More →
Tips for Watching the Hands
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →
10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops
What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.
Read More →
Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software
Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.
Read More →
Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops
A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.
Read More →