The city of Charlotte has agreed to pay $700,000 to settle a lawsuit regarding the fatal shooting of Ruben Galindo by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer in 2017.
Ruben Galindo, 29, called 911, and, through a Spanish-speaking interpreter, told the dispatcher he had a gun with no bullets and wanted officers' help. When officers arrived, they ordered Galindo to put down the gun. When he didn’t, Officer David Guerra shot him twice.
In 2019, Galindo’s partner sued the officers and the city. Her attorney, Luke Largess, said the family is relieved to have the lawsuit settled. Galindo’s daughter was 3 months old when he was killed.
“It provides a cushion that will help the daughter as she gets older with financial support,” Largess said. “You know, which is one of the things that you replace in a case like this, you know, is the lost value of having a father in your life.”
In 2017, former Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said Officer Guerra would not face criminal charges since he perceived a deadly threat.
The civil lawsuit said Galindo had suffered from mental health challenges, and a language barrier prevented him from complying when he was ordered to “drop the gun.”
The lawsuit says that the city should have better-trained officers to approach a person with a mental illness. The lawsuit was initially dismissed, but an appeals court reinstated it. The case was set to go to trial this week.
