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Murder

Philadelphia SWAT Officer's Killer to Face Decades in Prison for Violent Crimes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The man responsible for fatally shooting Philadelphia SWAT Cpl. James O'Connor IV in 2020 will be sentenced to decades in prison for a string of violent crimes committed to advance the interests of a Frankford-based drug gang. Hassan Elliott, 26, pleaded guilty to murder and racketeering charges, admitting to killing three men and shooting nine others between 2018 and 2019 to settle perceived grudges or avenge purported insults. The fatal shooting occurred when Elliott opened fire on O'Connor and a team of SWAT officers as they arrived to arrest him on a warrant for one of those earlier homicides.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hassan Elliott, 26, will be sentenced to decades in prison for the fatal shooting of Philadelphia SWAT Cpl. James O'Connor IV and a string of violent crimes committed to advance the interests of a Frankford-based drug gang.
  • Elliott and other members of the gang dealt crack and marijuana and used bloodshed to boost their business between 2018 and 2019.
  • Elliott killed three men and shot nine others, often to settle perceived grudges or avenge purported insults, as part of a wave of criminal conduct that reached a bleak end when O'Connor and a team of SWAT officers arrived to arrest him in March 2020.
  • The shooting of O'Connor occurred when Elliott opened fire on the SWAT team as they climbed a flight of stairs toward his apartment, striking O'Connor in the neck and arm.
  • Elliott pleaded guilty to murder and racketeering charges, admitting to participating in the crimes with other members of the gang, including Khalif Sears.
  • Prosecutors are expected to ask U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to impose a prison term of 75 years against Elliott, saying his crimes "are the most serious confronted by law."

Statistics:

  • 75-years prison term recommended by prosecutors for Hassan Elliott
  • 3 men killed by Elliott between 2018 and 2019: Kaseem Rogers, Tyrone Tyree, and Dontae Walker
  • 9 people shot by Elliott between 2018 and 2019
  • 2018-2019: years during which Elliott and other members of the gang dealt crack and marijuana and used bloodshed to boost their business
  • 2020: year of the fatal shooting of O'Connor by Elliott

Sources:

  • "The man who fatally shot Philadelphia SWAT Cpl. James O'Connor IV in 2020 while attempting to avoid apprehension for another murder is expected to be sentenced Wednesday morning to decades in prison." The Philadelphia Inquirer (2025)
  • "Prosecutors said in court documents that Elliott's crimes "are the most serious confronted by law."" The Philadelphia Inquirer (2025)
  • "Elliott pleaded guilty to murder and racketeering charges, admitting that the killing of O'Connor was just one of a series of crimes he and several other people committed to advance the interests of their violent Frankford-based drug gang, known as SG1700." The Philadelphia Inquirer (2025)
  • "Prosecutors have recommended that Sears face a prison term of 35 to 50 years." The Philadelphia Inquirer (2025)
  • "The two other men charged in the racketeering indictment, Kelvin Jimenez and Dominique Parker, were found guilty by a jury in March and face a maximum sentence of life behind bars." The Philadelphia Inquirer (2025)

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