Man killed by police in Bucks identified

A burglary suspect who was fatally shot by police in Bucks County Friday night was identified tonight by the Bucks County coroner.

Coroner Joseph Campbell identified the dead man as Brian Simmermon, 40, of Riegelsville, in northeastern Bucks County.

"He had a prison ID and a state ID on him," Campbell said. "We're sure this is who it is based on the photo ID we pulled out of his pocket."

An autopsy performed this afternoon confirmed the cause of death as a single gunshot wound to the left side of his back, the coroner said.

The suspect's fingerprints are being analyzed. The coroner's office was working to verify the prints with Warminster police, Campbell said.

Simmermon, who was killed by police after a brief car chase and foot pursuit in Plumstead Township north of Doylestown, was a suspect in a string of residential burglaries and vehicle thefts in Bucks and Montgomery Counties and in New Jersey.

He had been identified initially by law enforcement authorities Friday night as Jonathan Fineman, 45.

"We did believe that was the name. It now looks as though it is not," Bucks County First Assistant District Attorney David Zellis said last night."There is a fingerprint analysis going on to positively identify this individual who had operated under an alias."

The suspect was fatally shot near Route 611 after 6 p.m. Friday following a high speed car chase, and a foot pursuit.

The officers, who have not been identified, believed the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband during the foot pursuit. Instead, it was large industrial scissors, Zellis said.

Police had been trying to arrest the suspect over the last two to three weeks for at least three residential burglaries and theft of at least two vehicles, Zellis said.

Police issued arrest warrants a few days before the shooting in New Britain Township and New Britain Borough for "Jonathan Fineman."

The coroner said Simmermon also had an address in Chalfont.

The chase began when a police officer recognized the vehicle the suspect was driving as stolen.

At some point, two police cars in the chase were involved in a collision. It is unclear that the suspect actually rammed the officers' cars, as original thought. "We're still looking into that part," Zellis said.

During the foot pursuit, the suspect reached into his waistband and pulled something out. "He turned to the officer with his hand drawn," Zellis said.

One officer, believing it was a gun, shot the suspect in the left side. He collapsed and eventually died.

The officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

Contact staff writer Linda Loyd at 215-854-2831 or lloyd@phillynews.com.