Magisterial District Judge Sonya McKnight was arrested on February 15, 2024 after being accused of shooting her boyfriend in the face while he was sleeping in Harrisburg, PA.
The shooting was on Feb. 10, 2024. Judge McKnight was in a relationship with a man. The man wanted to end the relationship with the judge.
Judge McKnight and the man were at the victim’s house when the shooting occurred. The victim was in a room by himself sleep. The judge says she was sleep too.
Suddenly he was shot in the face. The bullet entered the right side of the victim’s face, traversed through his head in a straight line behind and slightly below his eyes and exited the left side of his face.
Judge McKnight then came in the room and asked the victim what happened. The judge called 911 on the victim’s phone and reported that the victim was bleeding from the face.
Emergency personnel arrived and took the man to the hospital. The shooting left the victim blind in one eye.
After an forensic investigation it was discovered that Judge McKnight had ballistic gunfire residue on her hands.
Judge McKnight was arrested, handcuffed, and leg shackled. The judicial conduct board temporarily suspended Judge McKnight.
The judge was charged with attempted first degree murder and aggravated assault. Judge McKnight’s bond was set at $300,000.
