WASHINGTON, Pa. — A federal jury has awarded $21 million to the family of 34-year-old Anthony Gallo, a Washington man who was in the middle of a mental health breakdown when he was shot and killed by a Pennsylvania State Trooper in 2017.
His family had called 911 for help.
“We assumed it was going to be an ambulance,” Gallo’s cousin Robert Herrington said.
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Channel 11′s Cara Sapida spoke with Herrington seven years ago. He was with Gallo when it happened.
“Troopers walked in with AR-15s, I said ‘look there’s no need for guns at all, he’s not in the right state of mind, but he’s not going to hurt anybody,’” Herrington said in 2017.
Seven years later, the memory is sharp for Herrington.
“He started heading to the back....they dumped on him before they even announced anything, I can remember like it was yesterday. I was standing right by the door whenever they shot him,” Herrington said.
>> Family says man ‘wasn’t himself’ before he was shot, killed by police
On Wednesday, jurors in federal court listened to testimony, including from trooper Chad Weaver who said he feared for his life when he opened fire because Gallo had a knife. Another trooper testified the knife remained at Gallo’s side, and was never raised.
Jurors sided with the Gallo family, saying shooting the man 10 times was excessive force, and awarded them $21 million.
Gallo’s mother, Betty, told Channel 11 off-camera today that she cried and passed out in court at one point. She’s glad to have some closure, though it won’t bring back her son. Gallo’s other family members feel the same way.
A state police spokesperson in Harrisburg said they are reviewing the decision and have no comment.
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