Protests Continue in Philadelphia in Wake of Police Shooting of Walter Wallace
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Nov 1, 2020
Wallace's wife told police he had mental issues, and his mother told officers not to shoot, and police gave commands in the video, he said.
Attorney Shaka Johnson said at a press briefing Thursday after he reviewed the body camera footage from the October 26 incident, he also believes the officers should not face murder charges but hopes the investigation into the man's death will lead to more police reforms to help prevent similar shootings in the future.
A couple of days later, a police union posted a photo of her two-year-old son in the arms of an officer and said he "was lost during the violent riots in Philadelphia, wandering around barefoot in an area that was experiencing complete lawlessness".
The family does not want the officers, who have not yet been publicly identified, to be charged with murder, Mr Johnson said, because they were improperly trained and did not have the right equipment to do their job.
"The city has also failed those police officers". "To a hammer, everything looks like a nail", Johnson said.
"This photo was taken moments after police attacked their vehicle, busted out the windows, ripped the mother from her auto and assaulted her". "The only thing this Philadelphia police officer cared about in that moment was protecting this child". Authorities said Wallace was armed with a knife and charged at the officers when he was shot.
Police were reportedly investigating but it was not disclosed who owned the van or if there were any arrests.
The mayor's office said the city requested that the troops help with "the current situation and election preparation".
"Philadelphians are experiencing an vast amount of pain, and significant unrest persists throughout the entire city", the statement reads. They said the delay would "provide enough time to calm tensions".
The shooting led the mayor to lock down the city with an overnight curfew that was later rescinded. Earlier reports show around 50 officers getting injured and 172 people arrested.
City officials said the National Guard will be deployed to protect property and ensure safety for residents while the police department works on finding and bringing to justice, those who have terrorized the city for days. Police shot and killed the 27-year-old on a Philadelphia street after yelling at him to drop his knife.
The van, located in Logan Square near the Franklin Institute and Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, contained propane tanks, torches and what appeared to be dynamite, local ABC affiliate WPVI reported.
"The unjustified shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. this week has our city both raging and grieving, but also extraordinarily purposeful about taking action", Gym said. "I need everybody to have respect for my family and my son to stop this violence and chaos".
