Settlement of three million dollars reached with the bereaved family of a teenager fatally shot by a Philadelphia police officer
In a gut-wrenching turn of events, the family of 12-year-old Thomas "T.J." Siderio, who was fatally shot by a Philadelphia police officer three years ago, has agreed to a staggering $3 million settlement with the city.
Reminiscing the heart-rending incident, T.J. got into a shootout with four plainclothes officers inside an unmarked vehicle in 2022. One officer ended up with injuries due to broken glass as a bullet shattered the back passenger window. Nonetheless, T.J., having discarded his gun about 40 feet away, found himself on the ground, unarmed, and face down when the fatal shot was fired into his back from just beyond a car's length away.
The officer who pulled the trigger, Edsaul Mendoza, had served as part of the Philadelphia Police Department for five years before his termination a week after the shooting due to breaching protocols with regards to the use of lethal force. Mendoza was subsequently charged with first-degree murder but later pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and possession of an unlawful weapon in April 2024, earning him an eight to 20-year prison sentence.
Michael Budner, a partner at Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, one of the law firms representing the family, described the case as a heart-breaking one that should have never taken place. In his eyes, the settlement provides some element of justice for the grief-stricken family dealing with this unspeakable loss.
According to investigations, the undercover officers were hunting for a teenager connected to a firearm investigation. Upon circling the block and encircling T.J. and another unidentified 17-year-old, they initiated a stop. It was around the same time the officers activated their red and blue lights, and shots were fired, causing the bullet to ricochet around the vehicle.
With Mendoza and the other officer on the passenger side exiting the vehicle and responding with shots, T.J. was chased down the block and was struck in the back, potentially from "relatively close range." Given the circumstances, Siderio was already deemed unarmed by Mendoza, as the officer knew about the discarded weapon's location[2][3][4][5].
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References:1. [Source 1]2. [Source 2]3. [Source 3]4. [Source 4]5. [Source 5]
- The unsettling Marco Siderio case, involving the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old by a Philadelphia police officer, is a topic often covered in general news circles, alongside other war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and political discussions.
- Amidst the political landscape, the case has also sparked debates about police protocols and the use of lethal force, shedding light on the broader conversation about law enforcement and public protection.
