On a January afternoon in 2016, a sequence of events unfolded in a Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, gazebo that would end in the death of 37-year-old Bruce Kelley Jr. The initial interaction began when two Port Authority of Allegheny County police officers, Emily Hampy and Tom Adams, approached Kelley Jr. and his 60-year-old father, Bruce Kelley Sr., who were allegedly drinking alcohol in public. The situation quickly escalated when, according to police, Kelley Jr.
became confrontational and a physical altercation ensued.
During the struggle, Kelley Jr. called to his father for help, and the elder Kelley allegedly punched one of the officers. In the ensuing chaos, Kelley Jr. produced a knife, prompting the officers to retreat and call for backup. Kelley Jr. then fled on foot, and what followed was a nearly 20-minute pursuit through the residential neighborhood. Officers attempted to subdue him with pepper spray and a Taser, but these non-lethal methods were reportedly ineffective due to Kelley Jr.'s heavy coat.
The chase culminated in a confrontation where more than a dozen officers had cornered Kelley Jr. Port Authority Sgt. Brian O’Malley and Officer Dominic Rivotti arrived on the scene with a K-9 unit. After Kelley Jr. refused to drop the knife, Sgt. O’Malley released the police dog, Aren. Kelley Jr. had reportedly warned that he would stab the dog if it was released, and he followed through on that threat, fatally wounding the animal. In response, Sgt. O’Malley fired ten shots and Officer Rivotti fired two, striking Kelley Jr. multiple times and killing him at the scene.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Allegheny County District Attorney's office investigated the incident and ultimately determined that the officers' use of deadly force was justified. The officers involved were placed on paid leave during the investigation but faced no criminal charges. The father, Bruce Kelley Sr., was initially arrested on charges including aggravated assault and resisting arrest, though some of these charges were later dropped.
The Kelley family, represented by attorney Noah Geary, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, alleging wrongful death and the use of excessive force by the officers. The lawsuit claimed that the police unnecessarily escalated the situation. After a lengthy legal battle, which saw a federal judge's initial dismissal of the excessive force claim against the officers overturned on appeal, the court ultimately granted summary judgment in favor of Sgt. O’Malley and Officer Rivotti in March 2024, citing qualified immunity.
