Insets: Steve Jahn (Chester County District Attorney) and Megan Nieberle (Children”s Hospital of Philadelphia). Background: The 800 block of Contention Lane in Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania (Google Maps).
A Pennsylvania man is accused of gunning down a children’s hospital nurse in what authorities call a random act of violence.
Steve Jahn, 44, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Megan Nieberle in Tredyffrin Township, a Philadelphia suburb, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, officers first made contact with Jahn during a welfare check around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday outside a local bank. The responding officer noted Jahn was displaying “frantic behavior.” The defendant said he believed people were following him around. He was also carrying a 9 mm handgun, the affidavit stated.
Cops suggested he go to a hospital to receive care, but he would have to surrender his weapons. He said he would drive there if he had an escort, so officers followed him to the hospital. After he arrived, he said the cars in the parking lot were the ones that had been chasing him and he no longer wanted to go to the hospital. Officers were required to let him leave.
Two hours later, officers responded to a car crash in the 800 block of Contention Lane, some 4 miles from the hospital. When they arrived, they found Nieberle slumped over the wheel with a gunshot wound to the head. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.
Investigators spoke to neighbors who said they saw a man screaming and not making much sense in the area, and a volley of gunshots a short time later. Cops reviewed license plate readers and realized Jahn was in the area at the time of the shooting, police said.
A few hours later, cops found Jahn at a relative’s home. The relative said he came inside with a gun and a dashcam from his car and went to sleep, police said. Jahn was taken into custody and cops reviewed the dashcam footage from his car.
The footage showed Jahn ripping down the dash camera as cops were approaching him for the welfare check, the affidavit said. He allegedly said, “I ain’t playing no more. I ain’t playing no more, motherf—ers” while he had a gun in his lap.
While in custody, Jahn allegedly made several unprovoked statements.
“Is she dead, why am I in jail?” he allegedly asked.
Other statements included “none of this f—ing happened, let me out” and “Why am I in a county holding cell? I’d definitely be in federal prison if I did this,” according to the affidavit.
“I pulled the trigger at the car, I definitely did that but I didn’t do anything else, what the f—? Got me to admit that, can we move on to the next phase?” he allegedly stated.
Jahn’s friends told local NBC affiliate WCAU that he had recently spiraled out of control after he stopped taking his medicine. He also had drug and alcohol addictions, his friends told the outlet.
Nieberle was a nurse at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Police and prosecutors believe the shooting was a random act of violence and the victim had no prior ties to Jahn. Her family is in shock.
“They are grieving,” Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe told reporters during a press conference on Monday. “They need some time to process this unspeakable tragedy.”
Jahn remains in the Chester County Jail without bond. His next court date is set for March 23.
