Walter Wallace Jr: Second Night of Riots After Philadelphia Police Shot Black Man | US News



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A second night of rioting has unfolded in Philadelphia after police officers gunned down a black man.

Footage from the shooting shows Walter Wallace Jr., 27, being fired multiple times by police after he was yelled at to drop a knife.

The family of the father of nine had called an ambulance rather than the police to help him with a mental health crisis, his lawyer said.

The protesters marched through the streets singing
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Protesters marched through the streets chanting the name of the victim

Shaka Johnson, representing the family, said officers knew Wallace was in a mental health crisis because they had visited the family’s home three times on the day he was shot.

About 500 people gathered in a west Philadelphia park Tuesday night and began marching through the neighborhood in protest.

The group marched peacefully for much of the night, chanting Mr. Wallace’s name.

But when the group encountered a handful of officers near a police station, several in the crowd threw stones, light bulbs and bricks at the officers.

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The video showed some people looting shops and there were several reports of arrests in other parts of the city around 9 p.m. local time.

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management urged residents to stay indoors and police and the National Guard were deployed.

Protesters confront the police on the second night of demonstrations
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Protesters confront the police on the second night of demonstrations

A second night of rioting was anticipated after more than 90 people were arrested and 30 police officers injured during protests that began Monday night.

Wallace’s family has criticized the violence and looting, and his father, Walter Wallace Sr., said: “I hope people show my family and the city some kind of respect … it is unnecessary. It really is.” .

State and local officials have called for a transparent investigation into Wallace’s death and the release of body camera images of the two officers who fired their guns.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw confirmed that none of the officers had a taser gun at the time of the shooting, but said she was still reviewing what information could be released, even if officers were aware of possible mental illness. .

A rally was held to protest the death of Walter Wallace Jr
Image:
A rally was held to protest the death of Walter Wallace Jr

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Police Chief Inspector Frank Vanore confirmed that the police had received a call about a screaming man saying he was armed with a knife.

Officers fired at least 14 shots at Wallace, but it is unclear how many times he was hit.

Wallace Sr. said he is haunted by the way his son was “massacred”.

“It’s on my mind. I can’t even sleep at night. I can’t even close my eyes,” he said.

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‘I told the police to stop, don’t shoot my son’

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said the shooting video “presents tough questions that need to be answered.”

It is the latest murder of a black person by the American police after months of Black lives matter protests, initially sparked by the death of an unarmed man George Floyd.

Wallace’s wife, Dominique, is pregnant and is scheduled to have her labor induced on Wednesday.

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