Black man shot dead by police sparks unrest in Philadelphia

Philadelphia sees more protests and looting as authorities investigate black man shooting

A 27-year old black man was shot on Monday before 4pm as a officer responded to a report of a person with a weapon in Cobbs Creek neighborhood of Philadelphia. The responding officers ordered Walter Wallace “Several times” to drop the knife and he continued to “advance towards” them, according to a statement. They then fire their weapons “multiple times,” shooting him in the chest and shoulder, and pronounced dead at the hospital.

The family of Walter Wallace mentioned that he was suffering from mental health crisis and was on medication. He had bipolar disorder and his wife told officers this before they shot him, Shaka Johnson, a lawyer representing his family said.

Chief officer Frank Vanore said, each officer fired around seven rounds but it was unclear how many shots struck Wallace.

Protesters erupted outside a Philadelphia police precinct and marched through the city on Monday night. One group marched peacefully for much of the night, chanting Walter Wallace Jr.’s name and saying, “whose streets? Our streets.” But the protests violent near a police precinct when the large crowd encountered a handful of officers. Several people in the crowd threw rocks, light bulbs, or bricks at the police. Businesses were looted, and five police vehicle and one fire vehicle were vandalized, according to the police authorities.

Over 300 people took to the streets to protest against shooting. Outlaw said a total of 91 arrests had been made, including 11 for assaulting officers and 76 for burglaries. Of the 30 police officers injured, 29 were in stable condition, mainly after being hit by bricks and other projectiles. A 56-year-old officer was run over by a pickup truck and broke leg, was being treated in a hospital.

The union the represents the officers defended them as “doing their job” and asked the “public for its patience” as investigations gather details of what happened.