Protesters Gather In Front Of Wilkinsburg Mayor's Home, Demanding Justice For Romir Talley
WILKINSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - Protesters showed up to the Wilkinsburg mayor's home Tuesday night. They demanded justice for Romir Talley, who was shot and killed by Wilkinsburg police last December.
People who were there say things got heated. Both the protesters and Mayor Marita Garrett said they feared for their safety.
Both sides shared different perspectives with KDKA's Royce Jones, but from what the camera caught, one thing is for certain: it was a night of confrontation, hair pulling and weapons right at the mayor's front lawn.
Mayor Garrett held a press conference Wednesday setting the record straight about what happened in a public Facebook live video last night. Mayor Garrett says this all went down after canceling a community event over coronavirus concerns.
She says protesters were scheduled to show up there. Since it was canceled, protesters marched right up to her house.
Garrett claimed she and her mother both had obscenities yelled at them by protesters and expressed that she was concerned for her safety.
The mayor expressed that she supports people having their voices heard, but said "there is a way to do that without harming other people."
Before KDKA could ask any questions, Garrett ended the press conference abruptly after Rose Price showed up, confronting the mayor and questioning her about her knowledge of the Talley case.
Price was one of the protesters last night and said she happened to be driving past the borough building when she saw the press conference was taking place.
Price told KDKA it was actually the demonstrators who were in danger Tuesday night and claimed the mayor had a gun on her when she came outside to confront the protesters.
"Nobody else pulled a gun out. You had the police there, so why did you pull the gun out?" said Price.
Mayor Garrett said, "Yes I do have a permit, and I do carry a weapon, and I did have it with me."
The mayor also claimed she never waved the gun at protesters.
Price also accused the mayor's mother of attacking a protester by pulling her hair, which protesters said can be seen in a photo shared with KDKA.
During her press conference, Garrett said the Romir Talley case has been sitting at the District Attorney's Office for the past six months and that she has no control over the county's investigation. She expressed that she doesn't believe this should be investigated internally.
The mayor also called for council to increase the budget to afford body cams for Wilkinsburg Police.
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On Wednesday night, Mayor Garrett did not attend the Wilkinsburg Borough Council Meeting.
Members say they were hoping to see the mayor at the meeting. They say the mayor did not tell them she wasn't coming to the meeting and it's not the first time.
Council says she has not been to a borough council meeting in person or virtually since last year.
KDKA could not reach Mayor Garrett for further comment.