Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin has ruled that a trooper involved shooting in June in Allentown was justified.

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Major Case Team investigated an officer-involved shooting that happened on June 17 in the vicinity of South 3rd Street and West Union Street in Allentown.

Troopers and officers from the Allentown Police Department were jointly conducting high visibility traffic enforcement throughout the city and a traffic stop was conducted in the area of South 3rd Street and West Union Street for an undisclosed traffic violation.

During the traffic stop, a trooper fired two shots. It was initially reported that Paris Bartlett was injured, but police later said he had minor injuries from fleeing the scene.

Following the shooting, Bartlett fled the scene, and drove onto South Carlisle Street, where the vehicle struck other vehicles and came to rest in the 500 block of South Carlisle Street, Allentown.

A motorist who was struck by the vehicle was transported to a hospital for minor injuries.

Martin said earlier in the week, police officers observed a drug buy from Bartlett. A confidential informant told police Bartlett was making a drug delivery on June 16. Police followed Bartlett and stopped his car, a Ford Fusion. When the trooper was standing in front of the car, the report said Bartlett moved forward and struck the trooper in the thigh. According to Martin, Bartlett then backed the Fusion into an undercover police car occupied by two Allentown officers before accelerating toward the first trooper.

Martin said the trooper protected himself by firing two rounds.

The Fusion swerved and began to flee from police, That’s when he hit a Honda HR-V, injuring the motorist.

Martin said Bartlett kept going, hitting a state police patrol car. He kept going and a state police car attempted to stop him by hitting the right bumper of the Fusion.

The Fusion drove onto the sidewalk and the patrol car hit the car again, disabling it.

According to the report Bartlett had a cigarette pack containing crack cocaine and marijuana. Police searched the car and found more crack cocaine, narcotics and cash.

Bartlett was charged with four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use, possession of a controlled substance, accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, resisting arrest/other law enforcement, driving with a suspended license and 13 traffic violations.

He is in Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Martin said the trooper discharging his duty weapon “was entirely justified on the basis that he held a reasonable belief that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself and/or to the APD officer stationed closely to him.”