(release from Chester Chief of Police Charles Stanley)
On 7/31/25 at 10:35 p.m., Chester Police and Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a report of a fight on the sidewalk in front of the Chester VFW at 415 Carolina Avenue, Chester. When Patrolman Kyle Swan and Deputy Jacob Morgan arrived, they found Brian D. Sweeney (59-years-old from New Cumberland) lying on the sidewalk suffering from multiple face and head lacerations. An ambulance was requested to treat Sweeney. Officers began to gather information and learned that there was surveillance footage that captured the incident. Sweeney had been inside the VFW and had a dispute with another patron, Louis P. Gallo (63-years-old from Chester). The two men had walked outside. They appeared to have more words, and then Gallo punched Sweeney in the Face Sweeny had fallen over backwards, and wasn’t moving appearing to be unconscious.. Gallo then stood over Sweeney and began pummeling him in the face. He punched him over 20 times about the face and head while Sweeney lay defenseless and unmoving. Gallo then walked back into the bar, stated something to an employee, like, “Your buddie’s outside bleeding on the sidewalk.” Gallo then walked back outside, approached the still unmoving Sweeney as he lay on the ground and kicked him in the head. He then left the area.
Sweeney was transported by ambulance to East Liverpool City Hospital but was then airlifted to a Pittsburgh Trauma Center due to his head injuries.
After viewing the surveillance footage, Patrolman Swan filed a Criminal Complaint against Gallo for Malicious Assault. A warrant was issued the following morning and Gallo surrendered to the Police Department. He was processed at the jail and arraigned before a Magistrate. He was later released on bond.
