DA Issues Ruling In Ambler Officer's Fatal Shooting Of Resident

AMBLER, PA — An Ambler police officer who shot and killed a man who came at police with a butcher knife was cleared in the use of what investigators said was lawful force, the district attorney's office announced Wednesday.

The incident occurred on April 26 at around 7:43 p.m. at the Forest Garden Apartments in Ambler.

Roberto Aguilar Cholula, 43, had called 911 and told them he wanted to die, police said. When police arrived, he was standing outside the apartments holding one smaller knife in his hands and pulling the butcher knife out of his clothes.

Police urged Cholula to drop the knife several times but he refused, investigators said. He then advanced towards the officers with the knives extended. They shot a taser at him but he continued coming, according to authorities.

That's when an officer fired his gun at Cholula, hitting him in the stomach and causing him to fall to the ground.

Cholula was taken to Abington Hospital for treatment where he later died.

“These officers attempted to get the subject to comply with multiple commands to drop his deadly weapons as he advanced toward them,” DA Kevin Steele said in a statement. “Our investigation determined the facts of this case supported the use of deadly force by police officers."

The DA's office said county detectives interviewed police and witnesses, in addition to reviewing the 911 call and police bodycam footage.