A Philadelphia police officer is facing murder charges following the release of body camera footage showing him fatally shooting 27-year-old motorist Eddie Irizarry while he was seated in his car last month, allegedly holding a knife. The incident occurred during a traffic stop for a driving infraction.
Officer Mark Dial, 27, turned himself in to authorities on Friday after the video evidence contradicted the initial police statement. Initially, police claimed that Mr. Irizarry had lunged at them with a knife from outside his vehicle, but the body camera footage clearly showed Mr. Irizarry in the driver’s seat when the shots were fired.
The officer’s attorney, Brian McMonagle, argued that Dial had fired because he believed he saw Mr. Irizarry holding a gun, fearing for his own safety. Dial intends to contest the murder charge.
Prosecutors stated that Mr. Irizarry was holding “a small, open folding knife against his thigh” with the car window rolled up. The incident took place in Kensington, a Philadelphia neighborhood, when Mr. Irizarry had parked his vehicle after police stopped him for making an incorrect turn on the street around midday.
The body camera footage reveals Officer Dial shouting “show your hands” at Mr. Irizarry, threatening to shoot him seconds before opening fire while Mr. Irizarry remained seated in the driver’s seat.
Following the shooting, Dial’s partner is heard saying, “Mark, hold on. Mark, stop.” The officers subsequently removed an unresponsive Mr. Irizarry from his car and transported him to the hospital.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner disclosed that Mr. Irizarry’s family had viewed the video the week before and wished for its public release.
Mr. Irizarry’s family, who said he had moved to the area from Puerto Rico seven years ago and worked as a mechanic, plans to sue both the city of Philadelphia and Officer Dial for wrongful death.
Officer Dial, a five-year veteran of the police force, was initially suspended for 30 days due to insubordination related to the incident. He has been released on $500,000 bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 26.
The tragedy has sparked outrage in the Philadelphia community, leading to protests. Mayor Jim Kenney called for peaceful demonstrations and accountability, while the police union urged people to withhold judgment until the trial presents all evidence.