On March 25, 2005, 36-year-old Easton police officer Jesse Erick Sollman was killed by a single gunshot in a weapons-clearing room at the Easton Police Department. The shot was fired by a fellow officer, Matthew Renninger; the grand jury investigating the incident later found no criminal intent and ruled the death a tragic accident.

The grand jury criticized the department’s weapon safety protocols and recommended Renninger be fired. Renninger spent more than a year on paid leave and was later permitted to retire. Sollman’s widow, Carin Sollman, filed a $20 million civil lawsuit alleging systemic safety failures and breakdowns in discipline; the city ultimately settled, paying $5 million to Carin and the family.

The case focuses attention on how internal policies and training intersect with officer safety and accountability.