Video shows Christian Hall had hands up when killed by police in Pennsylvania

New video shows that a Chinese American teenager was holding a gun with his hands up when he was fatally shot by Pennsylvania State Police last year.

Christian Hall, a 19-year-old who was diagnosed with depression, was standing on the ledge of a highway overpass near Stroudsburg, Pa., on Dec. 30.

Troopers arrived at the scene and attempted to get Hall down but backed away when they saw he had a gun, which was later determined to be a pellet gun, according to NBC News, which reported on the case in collaboration with Spotlight PA. 

Previously released footage provided by the Monroe County district attorney showed that, after a trooper fired shots that hit the bridge, the 19-year-old had his hands up as he held his gun in one hand. Authorities blurred the final seconds that preceded Hall’s death in that video, NBC reported.

But the full footage seen by NBC showed that the teen held his hands above his head for 14 seconds total. His hands were still raised when troopers fired another round of shots at him. 

Following an investigation by State Police, Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine Jr. ruled the shooting was justified. But protesters have since raised concerns about Christine’s ability to render an impartial verdict given his frequent work with troopers. They also asked why troopers would fire shots at a teen who appeared suicidal, NBC reported. 

Hall’s parents have started the process of suing the troopers who killed their son. Attorneys Ben Crump and Devon M. Jacob, who represented George Floyd’s family, will also represent Hall’s parents, according to NBC. 

The Hill has reached out to Pennsylvania State Police and to Crump for comment.