Prosecutor Says Man Who Used Crossbow To Kill Assailant Acted In Self-Defense

A Pennsylvania prosecutor said that a fatal September incident involving a crossbow was a case of self-defense.

The September incident, which took place in Sharon, Pennsylvania, located near the Ohio border about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh, was a domestic dispute that turned deadly, WFMJ, a Youngstown, Ohio, television station, reported. Mercer County District Attorney Jacob Sander said Billy Colwell’s death from a single crossbow shot was self-defense.

While Sander did not disclose the exact circumstances, Colwell was shot in the shoulder with a crossbow before being taken to the hospital, where he later died of his wound. Mercer County Coroner John Libonati determined Colwell’s cause of death to be a penetrating wound to the chest.

In Pennsylvania, adults generally may purchase and possess crossbows, which are broadly legal hunting implements under regulations administered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Hunters may use crossbows during archery seasons and certain other lawful hunting seasons if they hold a hunting license and comply with PGC regulations, including a minimum draw-weight requirement of 125 pounds and specifications for the bolts or arrows used from the crossbow.

Crossbows have become an increasingly common hunting tool, although no authoritative national estimate of total U.S. crossbow ownership is available. At least 33 states allow crossbow use during at least one part of hunting season, according to the National Deer Association.

A 2025 study by the Archery Trade Association and Responsive Management surveyed more than 10,000 licensed bowhunters in 13 states and found that 5,398 respondents, about 54%, had hunted with a crossbow within the previous five years.

The study’s findings suggest crossbows are now used by a substantial share of hunters, particularly experienced sportsmen who hunt using multiple methods.