At his home in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, Craig Steven Galford, age 54, was placing a gun in his shoulder holster when it accidentally discharged. The bullet struck him in the left side of his torso and caused a fatal wound.
It is unclear why Galford had a gun at all. According to an earlier news story, he was arraigned in 2019 on 45 felony charges “stemming from alleged sexual assaults of a girl over a period of nearly nine years, from 2003, when the girl was 9 years old, to 2012, when she was 17.” The disposition of those charges is not provided in available reports.
Sources:
Keith Gushard, “Cambridge Springs Area Man Dies after Accidentally Shooting Himself,” The Meadeville Tribune (December 2, 2020).
Mike Crowley, “Police: Sexual Assaults Occurred Over Nine Years,” The Meadville Tribune (July 16, 2019).
Galford was carrying a gun because he feared retributive actions on the part of members of the community after the sensationalistic journalism of Mike Crowley, reporter for the Meadville Tribune. Yes, the charges were “alleged” and Galford, after having recently met with his attorney, was very optimistic about the ultimate disposition of the charges. However, Mr. Crowley’s vigilante reporting, in essence from a moral/ethical perspective consisting of wanton endangerment, resulted in the untimely death of Galford.
Craig was a very kind, loving & honest man and he did not deserve to be accused of such sick, twisted, false accusations that were made. New evidence was found that the horrible things printed were false, and he was inacent. I feel the papers & reporter need to retract their story & clear him as well as apologize to him and his family, clear his name so he may rest in peace. Your reporter for the paper only made things worse and added more fear for his life. Craig Galford was on his way to living his life free of all negative, ugly and disrespectful accusations and due to your article he never got the chance. Those who love & miss him dearly are suffering a great loss everyday. And although a written apology on the front page won’t bring him back, it would give his family and friends some peace. Do the right thing.