William Gainous

How they died

Deadly force

Members of the Neighborhood Enforcement Stabilization Task Force approached a group of five men standing in front of 531-533 South 16th Street, including William Gainous, 20, and Caleb Love, 25. According to police, Gainous and Love had committed an armed robbery moments before in front of a Chinese restaurant. When Officer Gonnella, 39, got out of his car and approached the crowd, Gainous fired four rounds from a handgun, hitting Officer Gonnella twice in his protective vest, once in the shoulder and once in the femur. Task force members followed Gainous into the restaurant at 287 16th Street. Gainous ignored calls to drop his gun, crouched down and took aim at the officers. Three officers fired eight rounds, killing Gainous. Love was arrested and charged with armed robbery and weapons possession.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that William Gainous, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources