Former Philly police officer who shot and killed a Black man as he ran away will have his old job back

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Ryan Pownall, who lost his job as a Philadelphia cop when he fatally shot a man twice in the back in 2017, will return to the police force.

Pownall won his arbitration with the city on Thursday, about a year and a half after a judge dismissed charges against him, finding the grand jury report "flawed."

District Attorney Larry Krasner charged Pownall, who is white, with third-degree murder and other offenses for the death of David Jones, who was Black. Pownall stopped Jones on his dirt bike in North Philadelphia and shot him when he attempted to flee.

The state Supreme Court ruled in July 2022 that Pownall could use the justifiable shooting defense . The charges against Pownall were ultimately dropped a few months later.

Pownall will receive full back pay and will reclaim his seniority status.