Photo: Pennsylvania State Police
The family of a teenager who was shot and killed by Pennsylvania police last year is demanding an independent investigation after their lawyer obtained new video footage of the fatal shooting. He shared the footage with NBC News and Spotlight PA.
Christian Hall, 19, was suffering from depression and threatened to jump off a highway overpass near Stroudsburg. As troopers tried to convince Hall to step away from the ledge, they noticed he had what they believed was a gun. One of the officers fired several shots that struck the bridge as Hall put his hands up.
While he was holding the gun in one hand, which turned out to be a realistic-looking pellet gun, he put his hands up to surrender, but officers opened fire again, this time striking Hall and killing him. The State Police investigated the shooting and turned over the evidence to the Monroe County district attorney, who ruled the shooting was justified.
The newly obtained video paints a different picture of what happened before Hall was fatally shot. The footage shows that Hall's had his hands up for 14 seconds before officers opened fire.
Hall's parents have begun the process of filing a lawsuit against the two troopers, who have not been identified.
"I would like to see an unbiased investigation take place," Gareth Hall, Christian's father, told NBC News. "I personally would like to see those police officers brought up on charges."