- Off-duty police officer Anthony DeLastro has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Michael O’Neal.
- Delastro, 64, allegedly shot and killed O’Neal after they got into an argument in the parking lot of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Somerville. O’Neill, 39, died while trying to flee in his car.
- Somerville police said Delstro, who began his career with the NYPD, has been fired.
In South Carolina, state investigators on Wednesday charged an off-duty police officer with murder after allegedly fatally shooting a man as he tried to drive away after two people got into an argument in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant.
According to a state law enforcement affidavit, Anthony Delastro told investigators that he tried to stop the man from leaving after the fight, and when the man told him to get out, he got into the passenger seat of the victim’s car. He reportedly got in the car and drove off. Split.
Mr. Delstro, 64, said he shot Michael O’Neal because he feared he would be crushed under a moving vehicle, but state authorities said they did not know who had restrained Mr. Delstro after the fight. police said they heard him threaten to shoot the 39-year-old man if he tried to leave. .
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O’Neal was not armed or threatened to use a weapon during the March 20 fight, which involved kicking and punching in the Chick-fil-A parking lot in Somerville, state officials said. Ta.
Court and jail records do not indicate whether Mr. Dellastro has an attorney. Somerville Police Department announced that the officer has been fired.
An off-duty South Carolina police officer has been charged with murder.
Delstro began his career with the New York City Police Department, where he worked for 22 years before moving to South Carolina in 2003, according to his police training records.
If convicted of murder, Delstro could face 30 years in prison.
Before DeLastro’s arrest, O’Neal’s family released a statement on a GoFundMe page saying they were optimistic that state police would uncover the truth.
“While this family has great respect for law enforcement in general, we are well aware that there are no bad actors in any profession,” they wrote.
Prosecutor Scarlett Wilson thanked the family for acting with dignity and integrity as state authorities thoroughly investigated the shooting.
“The cooperation of witnesses was essential,” Wilson said in a statement.
State officials did not provide details on why O’Neal and DeLastro started arguing, but said DeLastro started the argument and yelled at O’Neal, “Are you going to do this?” and use anti-gay slurs.
Investigators said Delstro, who was not at work that day, told O’Neal that he was being arrested during a fight and showed him his law enforcement credentials.
Delstro’s gun fell from its holster during the struggle, and the officer’s wife tried to restrain O’Neal as he tried to get into her car during the struggle, according to the affidavit.
Someone stopped Delstro as O’Neal tried to leave, but Delstro fled, grabbed the gun from the sidewalk and got into O’Neal’s car, state officials said.
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Although DeLastro told investigators he was acting in self-defense, investigators said he recklessly endangered O’Neal and was not a threat when he was killed. Stated.
