STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Members of a Monroe County community are calling for an independent investigation into a shooting from December.
Christian Hall was killed by police on an overpass in Monroe County. Hall was suicidal and in possession of a firearm.
Around 100 people marched from Dansbury Park to the Monroe County Courthouse demanding justice for Hall.
“State police were called to the situation about a suicidal young man. On that day the troopers responding to the call shot and killed my 19-year-old child. To date my wife and I have received no information about the incident,” Gareth Hall, Christian’s father, said.
Hall’s parents, Gareth and Fe, say they want an independent investigation into why Pennsylvania State Police shot their son.
“How much of an unbiased investigation from these departments can legitimately be made when they work hand in hand with each other on a daily basis,” Gareth said.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the incident which was captured on a PennDOT traffic camera.
At the march on Sunday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump led the crowd, calling on the D.A. to hand over the investigation to A.G. Josh Shapiro.
“If you have nothing to hide, why after three months, has that video not been released? If they said at the time they shot Christian, he was pointing the gun, show us the video! Because the video we saw, he had his hands up,” Crump said.
Troopers reported that Hall became uncooperative and walked toward police with the gun pointed in their direction. They say that’s when they fired at Hall.
“He needed help and his life was taken by the people who were supposed to help and protect,” Fe Hall said.
Hall’s parents said he just went through a breakup and was depressed. Organizers of the march said they want better mental health crisis response from law enforcement.
“There is serious reform and education that needs to be enacted,” march organizer Jessica Brady said.
Ahead of the march, the Monroe County NAACP chapter issued a statement in support of Hall’s family, urging state lawmakers to invest more in mental health crisis specialists, which they say would have helped prevent Hall’s death.