Charlotte settles shooting lawsuit for $700K days before trial

CHARLOTTE — The partner of a man who police shot and killed in 2017 has reached a settlement agreement with the city of Charlotte for $700,000.

It’s a lawsuit that reached the Supreme Court of the United States, but the settlement agreement and voluntary dismissal came days before the case was set to go to trial on Nov. 12.

Police were called to the Hunters Pointe Apartments on Prospect Drive in September 2017 to investigate reports of a man with a gun after someone called the 911 language line. Investigators said when officers arrived, they found a man, Ruben Galindo, standing outside with his hand inside his waistband. At some point, police said Galindo raised his hands and officers saw he was holding a gun.

In a clip from a video before the shots were fired, you can hear officers yell, “Ruben, polícia, manos, manos, manos, manos. Get down, drop the gun, do it now, drop the gun.” Police said Galindo called 911 and told the operator in Spanish that he had a gun.

In 2017 the District Attorney announced there would not be any charges filed against officers for killing Galindo -- two years later the lawsuit was filed. Initially a judge determined Officer David Guerra acted reasonably when he shot Galindo, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and reversed the decision to dismiss the lawsuit.

The City of Charlotte appealed the 4th Circuit’s opinion to the US Supreme Court. The 4th Circuit ruled body camera video showed Galindo raised his hands and was trying to surrender when the officer shot him.

The Supreme Court ultimately decided not to hear the city of Charlotte’s appeal earlier this year.

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The settlement was first announced in late October and Galindo’s girlfriend filed a stipulation of dismissal on Nov. 8.

“...the parties have reached an agreement to resolve this matter, which is set for trial beginning November 12, 2024. The parties anticipate finalizing the settlement and filing a stipulation of voluntary dismissal prior to the trial date,” according to court documents.

Court documents do not reveal the settlement agreement, however, the attorney for Galindo’s girlfriend told WSOC-TV the agreement was for $700,000 and court records show that both sides will pay for their own attorneys fees.

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