Michael Sherard was 16 when he was fatally shot by Philadelphia police officer John Woodruff on February 15, 1976, during a chase in the Germantown neighborhood. Officers were pursuing Sherard after he was suspected of stealing a television; Woodruff testified he shot after believing Sherard was reaching for a weapon. No weapon was found on Sherard’s person.

Woodruff was charged with manslaughter and went to trial. He told jurors he acted in self-defense, saying he perceived an imminent threat when Sherard allegedly reached into his pocket. In October 1976 an all-white jury acquitted Woodruff, accepting his claim of justification for using lethal force.

Sherard’s death intensified longstanding tensions between the African American community and the Philadelphia Police Department and was cited in debates over police brutality and excessive force. Does anyone have additional details about the investigation or community response at the time?