Advertisement

Horrific moment man shot 10 times in front of his family by Philadelphia police

There is widespread anger in the US after another African American man was shot dead by police – this time in front of his family.

Video uploaded to Twitter shows the final moments of 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr’s life before police shot him dead in Philadelphia on Monday.

The video shows police standing in the street with their weapons drawn.

Mr Wallace steps out from between two cars and the police step back.

Walter Wallace Jr, 27, is shot dead by Philadelphia Police
Walter Wallace Jr, 27, is shot dead during an incident with police on Monday. Source: Twitter

They begin to fire and Mr Wallace collapses to the ground on the road. A woman then runs out crying and screaming hysterically.

Police approach her and she lashes out at them standing over Mr Wallace’s lifeless body.

Lawyer Ben Crumb claims police shot Mr Wallace more than 10 times.

Sergeant Eric Gripp, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police, told the Philadelphia Inquirer police were called to the area where they encountered a man wielding a knife.

Police are reviewing body cam of the shooting. Sgt Gripp said police told him to drop the knife but he wouldn’t and kept approaching the two officers.

The 27-year-old died in hospital, according to the paper.

Mr Wallace’s father, also named Walter, told reporters his son had mental health issues and questioned why police had weapons drawn.

He suggested the officers could have tasered his son and not shot him dead.

‘A downright tragedy’

In a statement on blog Medium.com, Councillor Jamie Gauthier called for an investigation.

“This is a downright tragedy. Walter Wallace Jr a resident of my district was shot to death by police while his mother stood steps away,” she said.

“I extend my deepest condolences to her, and to all of this young man’s family and friends. Our whole community is mourning his loss tonight.

“I am calling on the Philadelphia Police Department to immediately release the body camera footage of the officers involved in this incident. The public deserves a full, unvarnished accounting of what took place today.”

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement the video “raises many questions”.

“Residents have my assurance that those questions will be fully addressed by the investigation,” she said.

“While at the scene this evening, I heard and felt the anger of the community. Everyone involved will forever be impacted.

“I will be leaning on what the investigation gleans to answer the many unanswered questions that exist.”

‘No good cop in a racist system’

About 150 people gathered in Malcolm X Park after learning of Mr Wallace’s death.

They chanted: “No good cop in a racist system”, according to The Daily Pensylvannian.

Some protesters also threw bricks and images on Twitter showed a police car on fire but the crowd was mostly dispersed at about 1am.

Mr Wallace’s death follows ongoing racial tensions in the US – particularly surrounding the death of African American man George Floyd at the hands of police earlier this year.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.