Donald Garrity, a 44-year-old white male from Plainfield, Illinois, died on June 6, 2018. Garrity, a former Cicero police officer, took his own life using a Glock 17 9mm handgun, which he had previously turned over to law enforcement when his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card was revoked due to mental health issues. Despite the revocation, Garrity retained access to the weapon through a loophole in Illinois' firearm laws. His death was ruled a suicide, and the case was initially closed.
However, it was later reopened when it was discovered that the gun used was his old service pistol.
Garrity's life was marked by significant turmoil, including a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a 2012 incident where he shot and killed Cesar Munive, a member of the Latin Counts Street Gang. Munive's family filed a lawsuit, resulting in a $3.1 million settlement with the town of Cicero. Garrity, who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the shooting, was collecting a disability pension at the time of his death.
In the months leading up to his death, Garrity's ex-fiancée expressed concerns about his mental health and access to firearms. She reported that he battled depression and addictions to alcohol and opioids, and had been hospitalized at Linden Oaks, a clinic for mental illness and substance abuse. Despite these concerns, Garrity managed to retain possession of his service pistol, highlighting flaws in the enforcement of Illinois' FOID card regulations.
Garrity's death underscores the complexities and challenges in managing mental health issues among law enforcement officers, as well as the potential gaps in firearm regulation enforcement. His case remains a poignant example of the tragic consequences that can arise when mental health and firearm access intersect.
