On April 7, 1972, Joseph "Crazy Joe" Gallo was shot and killed at Umberto's Clam House in Manhattan's Little Italy while celebrating his 43rd birthday. The hit occurred early in the morning, with Gallo dining alongside his wife, daughter, sister, and bodyguard. His presence at the restaurant was noticed by Joseph Luparelli, a member of the Colombo crime family, who alerted other Colombo associates nearby. Soon after, four gunmen entered the establishment and opened fire on Gallo.

Reports suggest that Gallo attempted to defend himself by overturning a table and drawing his own weapon, but he was hit multiple times, including in the back, elbow, and buttocks. Although he managed to stagger out of the restaurant, he collapsed on the street and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Some accounts speculate that he was trying to divert the attackers away from his family as he exited the building.

The assassination is believed to be tied to long-standing tensions between Gallo and the Colombo family, especially after Joe Colombo was shot months earlier, with Gallo rumored to be behind the attack. The hit on Gallo remains a notorious mob killing, with different narratives about who exactly ordered and executed it, but no one was ever formally charged for the crime.

The scene of Gallo’s murder at Umberto’s Clam House became infamous, symbolizing the chaotic and violent underworld of the American Mafia at the time, as depicted in various mob-related books and movies over the years, including The Irishman and references in popular culture like Bob Dylan's song "Joey"​.



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source:

https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/08/archives/joe-gallo-is-shot-to-death-in-little-italy-restaurant-joe-gallo.htm