Today, Andrew Changhan Park, age 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, burglary, simple assault, and terroristic threats.  Judge Richard A. Lewis immediately imposed a sentence of 10 to 20 years of imprisonment in a state correctional institution.  A jury trial had been scheduled to begin on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.  A Korean interpreter provided translation services during the guilty plea and sentencing hearing.  District Attorney Fran Chardo agreed to the sentence after consultation with the victims, Officer Timothy Shea and Terrilinn Peace.  Peace had wanted greater leniency for the defendant and apparently intends to marry the defendant during the time that he is serving his sentence.  Park will not be eligible for parole until October 2029.  Detective Robert Appleby of the Lower Swatara Township Police Department investigated the case and was present for the guilty plea and sentencing.  The factual basis for the guilty plea was as follows.

The defendant, Andrew Park, and the victim, Terrilinn Peace, have had a longstanding romantic relationship.  On August 30, 2019, the defendant pointed his lawfully owned .380 Ruger pistol at Peace and threatened to kill her.  On October 5, 2019, the defendant physically assaulted Peace, pulling out head hair and causing bodily injury.  Both incidents occurred at 130 Bentley Lane, Lower Swatara Township while the defendant was inebriated.

On October 14-15, 2019, the defendant resided at 210 Cherokee Drive, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County.  Terrilinn Peace lived at 130 Bentley Lane, Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County.  Prior to the incident, the defendant had stayed with her at that residence, but had never lived at the Bentley Lane address.  After a fight several days before October 14^th, Peace told the defendant that he was no longer welcome at her home.  Despite that warning, the defendant went to Peace’s house at about 11:19 p.m. on October 14, 2019.  Peace called 911 and police responded. 

Prior to the arrival of police, the defendant broke the sliding glass door and entered the home, armed with the .380 pistol.  The defendant informed Peace that he was going to kill her and then kill himself.  Specifically, he stated, “It’s your day and we’re going to die.”  He then struck her repeatedly.  Officers Josh Malott and Timothy Shea arrived in full uniform and found the shattered glass to the sliding door.  They entered with their Tasers drawn. 

The officers moved through the house and saw the defendant in the rear bedroom with Peace.  The defendant slammed the door cutting off contact from the officers.  One of the officers kicked the door open and they saw the defendant pointing a handgun at Peace.  The officers fired their Tasers as Peace broke free.  As he fell backwards, the defendant fired three shots.  One of the shots fired by the defendant struck Officer Shea in the leg and passed through, causing serious bodily injury.  Specifically, this injury caused protracted impairment of the use of Officer Shea’s leg and he was unable to work for many months following the shooting.

Officer Shea applied a tourniquet to himself.  The two officers withdrew from the house as Officer Malott covered the withdrawal.  Peace escaped at the same time, leaving Park alone in the house.  The Dauphin County Crisis Response Team forcibly entered the house 3½ hours later and captured the defendant.