Walter Wallace Jr. was fatally shot by Philadelphia police Monday afternoon in West Philadelphia. Police was called on the 27-year-old after he was said to supposedly have a knife. Philadelphia’s mayor, Jim Kenney, concluded that there are “difficult questions that must be answered”, after watching the video of the fatal shooting that circulated social media. The video, recorded by a bystander in his parked car, shows the young man being pulled away from the situation by his mother as she pleads with the officers.
Two Philadelphia Police officers killed Walter Wallace, a mentally ill Black man, in West Philly today. He had a knife, but was not charging the offices. His mother begged them not to shoot him. If only the police were as interested in de-escalation as his poor mother.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) October 27, 2020
“Why didn’t they use a taser?” said his father, Walter Wallace Sr.
“His mother was trying to diffuse the situation,” he said. He said his son struggles with mental health issues and is on medication.
“He has mental issues. Why you have to gun him down?”
— Ellie Rushing (@EllieRushing) October 26, 2020
The police officers fired almost a dozen shots at the mentally ill man and later claimed that he posed a threat because he failed to drop the knife as he had been ordered to do so and he made an advance towards the officers. Walter Wallace Sr. spoke to reporters of The Inquirer and said that Walter Jr. had struggled for some time with mental health issues and was actively on medication. City council member, Jamie Gauthier, made a statement regarding the conduct of the officers and said she wanted the police to immediately release the body camera footage of the incident so that the public could receive “an unvarnished accounting of what took place”.
🇺🇸 Brutal asesinato de un afroamericano por policías en Filadelfia desata nuevas protestas#BlackLivesMatter#WalterWallaceJr #WalterWallace
➡️https://t.co/RJYjb5OYt1 pic.twitter.com/smFxAOUOwQ
— Juan Andrés Gallardo (@juanagallardo1) October 27, 2020
Just hours after the fatal shooting, protests and unrest broke out in the streets of West Philadelphia. A video posted to twitter showed police officers using their batons on a large group of protesters in an attempt to push them back, which sparked a national outrage.
#OTGWestPhilly pic.twitter.com/j1a2MJr7JH
— tarynnaundorff (@xxxtarynxx) October 27, 2020
#Philadelphia
Residents and demonstrators vent their frustration with police officers at the scene of the shooting.The Police Commissioner is present and is speaking to the crowd that is gathered.
Victim is Walter Wallace Jr, 27.
Credit: Christie Iletopic.twitter.com/v8teX1Pbtp
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) October 26, 2020
Walter Wallace Jr., 27, a twin, father, and son, was shot 10 times by police, said his father, Walter Wallace Sr.
A video shows Wallace was at least 10 ft away from the officers when began shooting. His mother begged them not to shoot. https://t.co/vDegRuaW8V pic.twitter.com/xOCz2aH8FA
— Ellie Rushing (@EllieRushing) October 26, 2020
The ensuing protests in Philadelphia add to the widespread demonstrations that have been seen across the country since the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May of this year.
Rest in Peace, Walter.