PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The city has agreed to pay $3 million to the family of T.J. (Thomas) Siderio Jr., a 12-year-old boy who was unarmed when he was shot and killed by Philadelphia police officer Edsaul Mendoza in South Philadelphia in March 2022.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by Siderio's family in January 2024.
Prosecutors said the boy fired a shot at an unmarked police car and tossed his gun aside, but he was unarmed and on the ground when Mendoza fired a fatal shot into his back.
Mendoza was later charged with first-degree murder and pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and is serving an 8-to-20-year sentence.
Family members weren't available for comment, but their attorney, Mike Budner, told KYW Newsradio the settlement is a step toward preventing similar tragedies.
"This is a tragic case that never should have happened. This resolution is the first step in providing some sort of justice for the family of TJ Siderio and the devastating loss that they suffered," Budner said. "The hope is, obviously, that lawsuits like this and settlements like this, at least, are a step in the right direction for preventing future tragedies of this sort."
The Philadelphia Law Department had no comment.