The Pittsburgh police officer accused of fatally shooting his friend would not fire recklessly, his stepdaughter said on Tuesday. “He's not the person to pull a firearm out and shoot for no reason,� said Talia Jones, 22. “He has to be in fear of his life.� Kenneth Farnan, 50, of Lawrenceville remained jailed without bond, charged with fatally shooting Shawn Evans, 56, of Bloomfield while the two fought in Condrin's Tavern on Torley Street early Sunday. His attorney, Bill Difenderfer, did not return a message seeking comment. The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office is “continuing to put together this investigation,� spokesman Mike Manko said. Criminal defense attorneys said Difenderfer could argue a case of self-defense: The bartender, who called police, told officers Farnan was drinking at the bar before Evans arrived; Farnan is much shorter than Evans; and evidence suggests Farnan was on his back when he fired. “He must have felt like he was in danger of serious bodily injury or death for him to reach for his gun to attack,� said attorney Phil DiLucente, who is not involved in the case. The two men were friends, family members said. Most states, including Pennsylvania, do not prohibit people licensed to carry concealed firearms from taking weapons into bars or other places that sell or serve alcohol, according to the San Francisco-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. In a 2007 bankruptcy filing, Farnan said he owned five handguns and three rifles valued at $4,000. The gun used in the shooting was not Farnan's service weapon, police spokeswoman Diane Richard said. The bartender told police she heard five to seven gunshots. Evans died from multiple chest wounds, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said. Six people, including Farnan, were in the bar when the shooting happened, police said. One patron, retired detective William Hanlon, tried to separate the men when they fought. Hanlon could not be reached for comment. Neighbors, who did not want to give their names, described Farnan as a community watchdog who cleaned weeds from the street. The city hired him as a police officer in 1994, but he has been off duty collecting workers' compensation since 2010, Richard said. He was in a car accident in December 2008 in the Hill District, according to a lawsuit he filed in January 2010 against the driver of the other vehicle. Farnan was a passenger in a police cruiser when an unlicensed driver, in a car owned by the Hill House Association, slid through a stop sign and struck the cruiser. The lawsuit claimed injuries that caused Farnan neck pain, blurred vision and emotional distress. The case was nearing trial in January when attorneys settled for an undisclosed amount. Farnan, a Marine Corps veteran, was at a barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, when a suicide bomber attacked in 1983, said Jones, his stepdaughter. “He's a great father and grandfather,� Jones said. “He was a great police officer, and he was a Marine. He served his country.� Margaret Harding and Adam Brandolph are Trib Total Media staff writers. Reach Harding at 412-380-8519 or mharding@tribweb.com. Reach Brandolph at 412-391-0927 or abrandolph@tribweb.com.