A former Philadelphia officer who fatally shot Eddie Irizarry as he sat in his automotive faces homicide and different fees, District Lawyer Larry Krasner introduced Friday.
The previous officer, Mark Dial, turned himself in Friday morning, Krasner mentioned. It is not clear if he has an lawyer who can converse on his behalf.
Dial, a five-year veteran, was fired from the Philadelphia Police Division after safety video launched by an lawyer for Irizarry’s household confirmed him repeatedly firing into the person’s automotive.
Krasner, who launched extra police physique digital camera footage of the Aug. 14 encounter earlier than asserting the costs, mentioned the footage was “extraordinarily troublesome to observe.”
“In some methods and for some individuals, they are going to be traumatic,” he mentioned.
Mayor Jim Kenney mentioned the footage was “graphic” and provided his condolences to the Irizarry household.
“I acknowledge that no motion that we take as a Metropolis can convey him again, however I’m assured that the District Lawyer’s Workplace is working towards justice for Mr. Irizarry and his household,” he mentioned in an announcement.
In a single physique digital camera video, Dial’s companion is seen exiting his car together with his firearm drawn. Sound within the video does not start till after the taking pictures happens.
A video from Dial’s physique digital camera exhibits him approaching the automotive and shouting, “I’ll f—ing shoot you,” seconds earlier than a number of gunshots are heard.
“Mark, cease,” the opposite officer says. “Transfer the automotive, Mark transfer the automotive.”
The officer, who has not been charged or recognized, then opens the passenger facet door whereas he radios for help.
Krasner’s workplace mentioned in a information launch Friday that Irizarry had a small, open folding knife in opposition to his thigh. He then rolled up the motive force’s facet window, the discharge states.
Dial opened fireplace six occasions into the automotive, shattering the window and “repeatedly placing Irizarry at shut vary,” Krasner mentioned.
Irizarry was taken to Temple Hospital the place he was pronounced useless. A health worker decided that he died from a number of gunshot wounds and that the style was murder, in response to the district lawyer.
“The allegations introduced in opposition to defendant Mark Dial at present are among the many most severe in our legal authorized system and are the fruits of weeks of investigative work by the PPD Officer Concerned Taking pictures Investigation group, PPD Inside Affairs, and the impartial overview of the devoted public corruption prosecutors within the DA’s Workplace,” Krasner mentioned in an announcement.
“As they do in all legal proceedings, our Particular Investigations Unit will proceed to hunt the reality of what occurred on August 14th and what led to the killing of Mr. Irizarry, who was shot to dying in his car with the home windows up,” he continued.
Along with homicide, Dial was charged with aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter, easy assault, reckless endangering of one other individual and official oppression.
Shaka Johnson, an lawyer for Irizarry’s household, beforehand mentioned that Irizarry, who moved from Puerto Rico when he was 19 and spoke little or no English, had been driving erratically and was pulled over by police after driving the incorrect approach down a single-lane road. He was seated inside his automotive when he was shot, the safety video confirmed, contradicting an earlier declare from police that he was outdoors his automotive.
This can be a growing story. Please examine again for updates.