Two Philly PD officers shot more than 10 shots at a Black man who charged towards them with a knife. The police said they shot 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr after responding to a call about a man with a knife. The responding officers reportedly asked Wallace to drop the knife "several times" but had to open fire as the man advanced towards them with the knife.
The video from the scene shows Wallace at least 20 feet far from the officers when the shots were fired. Wallace took bullets to the chest and shoulder and was pronounced dead at the hospital little after 4 p.m. The shooting took place in front of Wallace's family, his brother and mother, who couldn't grasp what had just happened.
The video shows the cops announcing to Wallace to drop the knife, but the footage does not show him carrying any kind of weapon in his hand when he was shot. The video also showed Wallace's mother trying to diffuse the situation, but as soon as he distanced himself from her mother, the cops opened fire.
Watch the video below:
Philadelphia cops fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr. today, firing 10+ times at him while he stood at least 10ft away. He allegedly had a knife but cops made NO attempts at de-escalating the situation in this video. They went straight to killing Wallace in front of his loved ones! pic.twitter.com/U2zYGqK7Ag
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) October 27, 2020
"I have watched the video of this tragic incident and it presents difficult questions that must be answered," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Special Investigations Unit and the Philadelphia Police Department's Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Unit are looking into Wallace's shooting.
Violent protests in Philly
Shortly after the fatal shooting of Wallace, violent protests erupted in West Philly. At least 30 police officers are believed to have been injured in the protests and stores were looted. The protestors attacked the officers with bricks and rocks. In one incident, a 56-year-old officer was struck by a pickup truck and sustained serious injuries, including a broken leg, the police said.
Rioting and looting have kicked off in #Philadelphia following the fatal police shooting of #WalterWallaceJr. pic.twitter.com/SKelc7fH9M
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) October 27, 2020
Videos of the protests on social media show officers wearing helmets and holding protective shields. More than 20 protestors have been arrested so far. Protestors are setting vehicles on fire, damaging stores and looting merch.
