The restaurant where Joe Gallo was shot dead

This is the location where mobster Joe Gallo was shot dead in 1972.

It is situated at 129 Mulberry Street in Manhattan, New York.

At the time, it was known as Umbertos Clam House. These days, the building is home to an Italian eatery called Da Gennaro.

"Crazy Joe" Gallo was one of the more peculiar characters in the New York underworld.

He was a diagnosed schizophrenic with an explosive personality and a nervous tic. He was also an avid reader of classical literature and a mafioso who rubbed shoulders with actors and other members of New York's upper crust.

Gallo started out as an enforcer for the Profaci crime family. He reportedly made a name for himself by taking part in the 1957 murder of Gambino crime boss Albert Anastasia.

In 1960, Gallo and his brothers fell out with the boss of their own family. The following year, they started the First Colombo War when they kidnapped four of his top men.

However, Gallo's personal involvement in the war was short-lived, as he was soon sentenced to 7–14 years in prison for conspiracy and racketeering.

The two warring factions eventually came to a peace agreement while "Crazy Joe" was incarcerated. During this period, the Profaci crime family also underwent leadership changes. By the time Gallo finished his prison sentence, Joseph Colombo had taken the reigns, and the family had become known as the Columbos.

When Gallo was released from prison in 1971, he claimed that the original peace deal didn't apply to him because he hadn't agreed to it.

In an effort to placate him, Colombo offered him $1,000. However, Gallo audaciously demanded $100,000, which Colombo refused to pay.

Not long after, Colombo was left paralyzed after an African American man shot him three times at a rally. Although the police concluded that "Crazy Joe" wasn't behind the hit, the Colombo family believed otherwise.

On April 7th, 1972, Gallo, his family, and his bodyguard were celebrating his 43rd birthday at Umbertos Clam House when three gunmen entered the restaurant and opened fire.

Witnesses said that "Joey" yelled obscenities at the hitmen and attempted to return fire. However, he was hit so many times that he eventually collapsed and died on the street outside the restaurant. Following the shooting, his assailants jumped into a waiting vehicle and sped off.

Photos

Photos of the restaurant and other related images.

Umbertos Clam House

This is a "then and now" image of Umbertos Clam House in Little Italy, Manhattan. The Google Street View image on the right was taken in May 2021.

These days, the building is home to an Italian eatery called Da Gennaro.

Gallo's murder took place roughly two months after the restaurant had opened its doors.

Umbertos closed in 1996 due to financial problems. Four years later, it reopened nearby at 178 Mulberry Street. Then, in 2010, it moved to 132 Mulberry Street.

Joe Gallo and Joe Profaci

In 1960, Gallo and his brothers turned against their old boss, Joe Profaci. The following year, they kidnapped four of Profaci's top men and demanded a ransom.

Although Profaci agreed to pay, he had no plans to stick to any peace agreement.

A few months later, the Porfaci family murdered Joseph Gioielli, who was a member of Gallo's crew. They also attempted to "whack" Gallo's brother, Larry.

Gallo was sent to prison in November 1961, and the war continued while he was behind bars.

By 1963, at least 10 men had lost their lives to the feud. As a result, both sides decided to come to a peace agreement.

However, "Crazy Joe" believed that the agreement didn't apply to him because he was in prison and had no say in the negotiations.

Joseph Colombo

By the time "Crazy Joe" was finally released from prison in 1971, the mob world had changed significantly.

Profaci had died of cancer, and Joseph Colombo was now the boss of the family.

When Gallo was released, Colombo offered him $1,000 as a peace offering. However, Gallo demanded $100,000, which was quickly rejected.

Not long after, Colombo was badly wounded by a shooter at an Italian-American Civil Rights League rally.

The timing of this attack led members of the Colombo family to believe that Gallo was behind the hit.

Consequently, they decided to have him whacked.

Mulberry Street

This Google Street View image of Da Gennaro and Mulberry Street was taken in November 2017.