Widow settles suit against Perryopolis over husband’s shooting death
The widow of a former Perryopolis councilman fatally shot by borough police in 2017 has settled a suit against the borough.
The federal suit filed by Maria Hoose, representing the estate of Garrett Hoose, was dismissed earlier this week. Details of the settlement were not included in the publicly available court paperwork.
Garrett Hoose, 47, was shot and killed by a borough officer on Oct. 6, 2017 at his home. His wife, according to the suit, had called police to ask them to conduct a welfare check on him.
The suit contended that Garrett Hoose had mental health issues that police were aware of, because they had been to his home in the past.
When Officer Edward Cuneo arrived, the suit stated, Garrett Hoose was on the phone with his son and asked the officer to leave his home. Authorities, at the time, said Garrett Hoose refused to officer’s requests to put down a firearm, noting Cuneo was sent to the home because the former councilman sent “alarming texts” to his family.
The suit contended that Cuneo shot Garrett Hoose twice in the chest and once each in the abdomen, upper arm and right hand, killing him. The filing alleged that Cuneo did not try to deescalate the situation, and did not follow generally accepted guidelines in dealing with a person who is emotionally disturbed.
Cuneo was also named as a defendant in the suit. The borough’s police department was initially named as well, but it was dismissed as a defendant last year.
With a settlement reached, both sides stipulated to dismissing the suit with prejudice, meaning the claims cannot be refilled. Each side will also bear their own costs and attorneys’ fees, according to court documents.