By Mari A. Schaefer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
UPPER DARBY, Pa. — When the SWAT team kicked in the door of Room 207 at the Summit Hill Inn in Upper Darby, Anthony Galla was crouched between a bed and a window holding a fully loaded Glock handgun.
He pointed his weapon toward the doorway; Officers fired.
Law enforcement officers knew when they began looking for Galla that the former police officer with military training was heavily armed, was wanted in connection with a shooting, and had talked about committing “suicide by cop.”
The four officers shot 52 times, killing Galla, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. Galla did not get off a shot. The incident took five to 10 seconds, Chitwood said.
“This was Galla’s last stand,” Chitwood said. “There is no doubt he was ready for war.”
Some of the bullets pierced the hotel walls, but no one else was injured in the incident Tuesday night, Chitwood said. In the room, police and U.S. marshals found an AR-15 rifle, four handguns, 500 rounds of ammunition, a teargas canister, and a bulletproof vest. In his rented Hyundai Accent, police found an additional 150 rounds.
Galla, a former part-time police officer for five departments in Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties, Pa., was wanted on attempted-murder charges after he allegedly shot the boyfriend of his former girlfriend. He also was wanted in connection with a shooting in Mount Carmel, Pa., earlier Tuesday, Chitwood said.
He made his way to Upper Darby, where his brother lives, Chitwood said.
The U.S. Marshals Service joined the investigation and found Galla shortly before 6 p.m. at the Summit Inn, where his brother, whom police did not name, had rented a room.