The family of Black army veteran Gulia Dale is demanding answers from police after he was fatally shot outside of his Newton, New Jersey home on July 4.
According to NBC News, Valerie Cobbertt, Dale’s sister, said her brother has been hypersensitive to loud sounds ever since he returned home from active duty. The fireworks being set off on July 4th was a triggering day for him.
“We didn’t know the spectrum of everything he dealt with,” Cobbertt said. “I would notice loud noises bothered him. I remember he would say, ‘Don’t slam the car door.'”
Dale’s wife, Karen, made an emergency 911 call because she was worried about Dale’s erratic behavior that day. According to the recording of the call released by the New Jersey attorney general’s office, Dale left his home that day with a gun.
“His wife called for someone to come and help because she feared that he may take his own life,” said Cobbertt.
“She called for someone to help. She said it twice. When they came, that was not the case. They murdered my brother,” she added.
Officers Steven Kneidl and Garrett Armstrong shot Dale, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
A redacted video showed Dale attempting to leave in a pickup truck when police arrived at the home.
Dale followed commands and exited the vehicle as police officers instructed. He got in the driver’s seat while police repeatedly told him, “Get out of the truck.” He exited the car once again, but this time he allegedly had an object in hand, which led to officers Kneidl and Armstrong firing their guns at him. The shots were fatal.
Cobbertt said her brother was suffering from a PTSD attack which caused the issue in the first place.
“I think what played a big factor were those fireworks in his area,” she said.
His sister also said she attributed the events of that night and how the police reacted to her brother being Black, as police didn’t follow de-escalating protocol.
“They see us differently. And they treat us differently,” she said.
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The Newark NAACP Criminal Justice Committee, Rick Robinson, organized a vigil for Dale and raised questions about how the police handled the issue.
“The video shows two officers,” he said. “But it was really three officers. It doesn’t show the entire footage of the entire matter.”
“He was not given the benefit of the doubt,” Robinson said. “This is what’s actually troubling to the family.”
“In this particular instance, we have an armed forces hero, and he was taken away from his family and the community, and it is really shameful that the engagement resulted in something like this,” Robinson added.
“He just needed help,” Corbertt explained. “If they would have approached him differently, he would still be alive.”
Dale and his wife lived in the town for 28 years and have three daughters.
