Miles Park (Image courtesy of Google StreetView)
A Chester County resident has been sentenced to state prison following a shooting that took place during a confrontation at a Whitemarsh Township park last year.
Devin Andrew Burns, 20, of Glenmoore, received a sentence of 8 to 16 years in a Pennsylvania state correctional facility after pleading guilty to aggravated assault—a felony offense. The incident occurred on November 13, 2024, at Miles Park, where a physical altercation broke out involving several groups of young women. During the disturbance, Burns shot another man.
Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill handed down the sentence as part of a negotiated plea agreement. As a condition of the sentencing, Burns is prohibited from contacting the victim and has been ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution.
By entering the plea, Burns acknowledged that he caused or attempted to cause serious bodily harm under circumstances reflecting a reckless disregard for human life.
Police were first called to the area of Miles Park at 399 Germantown Pike in Lafayette Hill around 10:41 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, Ward said, for the report of a “disturbance.”
Ward said that soon after, a second call came in reporting someone “banging on the rear door of a residence that borders Miles Park along Hillside Road.” Officers said that, upon arrival on hillside, they discovered an 18-year-old male of Hatboro, suffering from a gunshot wound in the pelvic region.
Ward said that both officers and medics responding from the Whitemarsh Community Ambulance were able to assist the victim until he was transported to Abington Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said they searched the area of Miles Park but could not locate those causing the previous call’s disturbance report. However, according to reports, they did locate a single shell casing.
Following an investigation by the department, police said that a group of around 12 people, ages 16 to 19, had met up at Miles Park in order for two females to “participate in a fist fight related to boyfriend issues.” Once assembled, the two females began to fight, as more females jumped in, police said.
“At some point, Devin Burns produced a handgun and show the victim, who arrived with the opposing group,” said Ward. When police obtained an arrest warrant the following day, Pennsylvania State Police traveled to detain Burns in Glenmoore, Chester County. Ward said that Burns then fled, leading PSP on a six-jurisdiction chase until troopers could arrest him. During the chase, police said, Burns “intentionally rammed one of their occupied police units” prior to be taken into custody.
Police reported that they recovered a firearm in Burns’ possession. The gun and vehicle have been placed into evidence, according to Ward.
