Ronald Harmon: Family Sues Penn Over Fatal Police Taser Use

The family of Ronald Harmon, a 52-year-old man who died after a University of Pennsylvania police officer used a Taser on him in West Philadelphia, has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the university. According to the complaint, Harmon was running from officers near 42nd and Spruce streets on November 5, 2024, when he was struck by the Taser, fell and hit his head. He died about two months later, on January 9, 2025.

The lawsuit was filed on Monday, October 19, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced the case at a press conference, arguing that Harmon posed no danger to anyone when the Taser was fired and that the officers broke their own department's rules.

Who Was Ronald Harmon?

Ronald Harmon was 52 years old at the time of the encounter with Penn police. Published reports have shared few details about his life so far. His brother, Bruce Harmon, is the family member bringing the wrongful death claim, according to the Inquirer. Speaking about the case, Bruce Harmon told the paper, "I'm just hoping that we can get justice."

The lawsuit was filed nearly two years after the encounter. The lawsuit now asks a federal judge and, potentially, a jury to decide whether the officers' actions that night were lawful.

What Happened in West Philadelphia?

The account below comes from the lawsuit and from statements by the family's attorneys. These are allegations that have not been tested in court, and published reports have not included a separate account from the officers involved.

According to the complaint, as reported by the Inquirer and The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn police officers saw Harmon take a package from the foyer of a building on the night of November 5, 2024. Officer James Squadroni chased him on foot while Officer James Schwartz followed in a police vehicle. The suit says Harmon threw the package during the chase and then turned and ran past Squadroni.

The lawsuit says Squadroni then fired a Taser, striking Harmon in the back. Harmon fell and hit his head on a curb, according to the complaint. He died on January 9, 2025. The lawsuit states that the medical examiner ruled the manner of death a homicide, with complications of a blunt impact injury to the head listed as the cause.

The complaint says Harmon was unarmed and that the officers had neither seen nor been told that he had a weapon. The suit describes the possible offense, taking the package, as a nonviolent misdemeanor.

What Does the Lawsuit Claim?

The suit accuses the officers of excessive force, violating Harmon's constitutional rights and breaking Penn police policy on Taser use. It also alleges that Schwartz failed to stop his partner's use of force. According to The Daily Pennsylvanian, the defendants include the university, the Penn Police Department, Squadroni, Schwartz and more than a dozen unnamed officers and supervisors.

A central part of the case is a Penn police directive, quoted by The Daily Pennsylvanian, that says a Taser should not be used "Against an unarmed suspect attempting to elude capture by fleeing." The family's lawyers argue that is exactly what happened.

"We know that Ronald Harmon was not a threat to police at the time, he was running away," Crump said, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. He added, "They violated their own policies when they Tased him from behind."

Local attorney Gregg Zeff filed the complaint, and Crump is expected to be formally added to the case later, the Inquirer reported. Published reports have not stated a dollar amount sought in damages.

The two officers have not been charged with any crime, according to available reports, and the claims against them and the university are allegations that have not been proven in court. Anyone accused of wrongdoing is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

What Penn Has Said

The University of Pennsylvania responded with a statement offering condolences. "The University of Pennsylvania extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Ronald Harmon," a spokesperson said, as reported by NBC10. The university also said that it and its Division of Public Safety "take any use of force and loss of life with the utmost seriousness."

Penn said that because the case is in active federal litigation, it cannot discuss the specific allegations or legal claims outside the court process.

What Happens Next

The university and the named officers will have the chance to respond to the complaint in federal court. The case could move into an evidence-gathering phase, be resolved through a settlement or go to trial. Reports so far have not mentioned whether any criminal review of the encounter took place or what its outcome was.

Timeline of the Ronald Harmon Case

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Ronald Harmon die?

According to the lawsuit, a Penn police officer fired a Taser at Harmon as he ran, and he fell and hit his head. He died on January 9, 2025, about two months after the November 5, 2024 encounter.

Who is being sued?

The suit names the University of Pennsylvania, its police department, Officers James Squadroni and James Schwartz, and more than a dozen unnamed officers and supervisors, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Were the officers charged with a crime?

No criminal charges have been reported. The case is a civil lawsuit, and its claims have not been proven in court.

Who is representing the Harmon family?

Attorney Gregg Zeff filed the complaint, and civil rights attorney Ben Crump is part of the legal team, according to the Inquirer.

MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.

Sources

• The Philadelphia Inquirer: Family files wrongful death suit after Penn police Taser encounter
• NBC10 Philadelphia: Ben Crump leads wrongful death lawsuit against Penn
• The Daily Pennsylvanian: Civil rights attorney sues Penn over wrongful death
• KYW Newsradio: Family of man who died after Penn police encounter files lawsuit