The city of Philadelphia has agreed to pay a $3 million settlement to the family of a 12-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a police officer in the back, as announced by their attorney. The incident occurred when four plainclothes officers in an unmarked car spotted Thomas “T.J.” Siderio and his 17-year-old friend riding bikes in March 2022. The officers believed the friend was linked to a stolen firearm investigation involving a third party and decided to stop them, although their reasons for doing so were inconsistent, according to a grand jury report.
As the undercover car’s lights were activated, a gunshot shattered the rear window, injuring one of the officers. The grand jury concluded that Siderio had likely fired a weapon into the car as it approached. Subsequently, in a chaotic turn of events, one officer pursued Siderio in a poorly executed foot chase and shot at him. Siderio, after discarding a gun, was shot in the back by the officer from close range, resulting in his tragic death within a minute and a half.
The family of Thomas Siderio filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the officer involved, describing the incident as an “execution-style” shooting and a failure of the system. The case was settled through discussions with the city and a mediator before going to trial. Despite this legal resolution, the family’s attorney emphasized that nothing can replace their loss.
The officer responsible for the shooting, Edsaul Mendoza, was fired and later pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and possession of a weapon. He was sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison following a grand jury recommendation for multiple charges. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner stressed the importance of accountability under the law in response to Mendoza’s guilty plea.
For further inquiries, the Philadelphia Police Department referred questions to the city’s law office. As of now, neither the city nor Mendoza’s attorney has provided a comment to USA TODAY.
