- "Yeah, I was right. You never stopped being Kingpin. You can't."
- ―Phil Gallo to Kingpin[src]
The Assassination of Phil Gallo was a brutal decapitation of Phil Gallo at the hands of Kingpin due to his lack of loyalty to the Mayor.
Background[]
- "I'm going up the ladder. Governor, State Supreme Court. Look, this is still the mayor's office. It's not the Kingpin's."
- ―Phil Gallo to Sheila Rivera[src]
Wilson Fisk blackmails Phil Gallo
Following Wilson Fisk winning the elections and becoming the Mayor of New York City, Phil Gallo strongly opposed him, due to his significant criminal record. He planned to resign as the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department and many officers would also follow suit, which would put Fisk in an unfavorable position if he were to lose the support from the police. With Buck Cashman's help, Fisk was able to track down Gallo's secret family and manipulate Gallo into keeping his positions, while also rejecting his proposals to improve the NYPD.[1]
As Gallo begrudgingly served under Fisk's command, the city was thrown into disarray due to Muse's killing spree and the NYPD did not progressed much in taking him down. Fisk then informed Gallo that he planned to establish the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, in order to crack down on all masked criminals and vigilantes, while acting beyond the protocol. Gallo did not approve of the plan, since Fisk was going to recruit questionable officers like Connor Powell and Cole North, infamous for their questionable conduct and idolizing Punisher's brutality. Regardless of Gallo's protests, Fisk proceeded with the AVTF, essentially using them as his personal private militia.[2]
Gallo personally witnessed the brutality of the AVTF during the Black & White Ball, when Powell assaulted a journalist who sneaked onto the event for a scoop. Despite Gallo's attempts to stop Powell, he ignored his orders and claimed that the AVTF answered only to the Mayor directly, not to Gallo. He was so distraught, Gallo even agreed to leak some intel about Fisk and the AVTF to BB Urich, when she suggested to denounce Fisk in media.[3] In an aftermath of Benjamin Poindexter's attempt on Fisk's life, he ordered to seal off the city and stage a massive operation against all vigilantes, which Gallo recognized as a blatant abuse of power.
Phil Gallo tries to get Sheila Rivera's support
Realizing that Fisk was in the process of consolidating his power over the city, Gallo approached Sheila Rivera and proposed her to join forces in order to stop him. Gallo informed her that Fisk was too dangerous to be left in the office, so he planned to depart to Albany and secure help from the Governor and the State Supreme Court. Rivera promised Gallo her support, however, he was unaware that she was secretly recording their conversation on her phone. She turned the recording over to Fisk, informing him of Gallo's betrayal, even though she deeply regretted it and cried outside of Fisk's office.[4]
Assassination[]
Phil Gallo gets intercepted on Kingpin's orders
- "They see you... But you were never really there for the rank and file, were you? You know, the men and women on the front line risking their lives to keep New York safe... keep you safe. I wonder, can we blame the Commissioner? I mean, after all, he's just a cog in a broken machine."
- ―Kingpin[src]
Now aware of Phil Gallo conspiring against him, Kingpin sent Luke over to intercept Gallo and bring him to the Anti-Vigilante Task Force base at Red Hook Pier. Luke replaced Mario and waited for Gallo in his car, who was about to return home from the New York City Hall. Gallo recognized Luke as one of his former recruits and noticed a Punisher skull tattoo on his neck, realizing that Luke worked for Kingpin and the AVTF. Luke then drove Gallo to Red Hook Pier and Buck Cashman guided him through the base, ignoring Gallo insisting that they cannot do something like that to a Commissioner.
Kingpin kills Phil Gallo
Gallo was then confronted by Kingpin, who put him on the spot in front of several AVTF officers and claimed that Gallo failed the New York City Police Department, calling Gallo a part of the broken system. Realizing how Kingpin was blatantly manipulating his subordinates, Gallo remarked that he was right and Kingpin never stopped being Kingpin upon becoming the Mayor. Kingpin responded by assaulting Gallo and bringing him down on his knees, grabbing his head with his bare hands and squeezing it. Addressing the AVTF officers, Kingpin stated that they were capable of protecting the city on their own and crushed Gallo's skull, throwing his lifeless body on the floor. Kingpin then wiped Gallo's blood of his face and asked if any of the officers had any questions, to which they remained silent.[4]
Aftermath[]
On the following day, Kingpin addressed the people of New York City in regards of the blackout he secretly engineered and the ensuing riots on the streets. He called it a sabotage caused by vigilantes, citing Benjamin Poindexter's attack on the Black & White Ball, while stating that Phil Gallo chose to resign amidst the ensuing chaos. Kingpin then announced his Safer Streets Initiative, informing the citizens that the vigilantism was now fully outlawed and the city was put under martial law, with the Anti-Vigilante Task Force given full authority to maintain the peace by any means.[4]