When the police officer fired a shot, Ciara Meyer was standing behind her father. The bullet passed through his arm and struck her.

A 12-year-old girl was accidentally shot dead in a central Pennsylvania town by a local constable who had come to evict her family from their apartment, Pennsylvania State Police said.

Meyer died when Constable Clarke Steele fired a single shot at her father, Donald Meyer, 57, who had pointed a rifle at him after an exchange of words, according to Trooper Rob Hicks.

The bullet passed through Donald Meyer's arm and struck the girl. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident that took place in Duncannon, about 193km northwest of Philadelphia.

"I burst into tears. I can't understand it; it's horrible," Meyer's neighbour told WHTM.



"Here's a little girl that doesn't even have a chance to grow up and live her life, and all because of this senseless act. It's horrible, absolutely heartbreaking."

The landlord had filed papers on November 30 with the local magistrate to evict the Meyer family from their US$660-a-month apartment because of unpaid rent of US$1452.60, according to online court records.

The family did not contest the eviction, which became final on December 30.

They had been ordered to vacate the apartment by 10am on Monday, which is when Steele arrived to put them out, police said.

Donald Meyer had shut the door on the officer before opening it again and pointing a loaded .223 calibre rifle, police said.

Steele pulled out his handgun and fired one shot at the man.

Meyer had been charged with aggravated assault and three other offences over the incident, police said.

The local district attorney is investigating whether the constable will face any charges.