On April 7, 1972, around 4:30 a.m., Joey Gallo celebrated his 43rd birthday with family and friends at Umbertos Clam House in Manhattan’s Little Italy. During dinner, Joseph “Fish” Luparelli, a Colombo associate, spotted Gallo and left to contact Joey “Yak” Yacovelli, the acting boss of the Colombos. Luparelli recruited Philip Gambino, Carmine “Sonny Pinto” DiBiase, and two others to carry out a hit on Gallo, believing there was a contract on his life. The gunmen entered Umbertos and fired multiple shots at Gallo, fatally wounding him and injuring his bodyguard, Peter “Pete the Greek” Diapoulas. Gallo attempted to draw his handgun but succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to the hospital.
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