PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia's district attorney vowed Wednesday to make his own decision about whether to charge two young officers in the shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr. and not to rely solely on the police investigation.
The comments from District Attorney Larry Krasner came just before the city released 911 calls, police body camera video and other evidence in Wallace's death last month.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the two patrol officers who opened fire on Wallace as Officers Sean Matarazzo, 25, and Thomas Munz, 26. Neither had more than three years of experience in the department.
Outlaw also pledged to put reforms in place by late next year that includes more deescalation training for police and better coordination with mental health specialists.
The evidence shows that Wallace, a 27-year-old Black man, was killed outside his house within one minute of the officers' arrival, Krasner said. Family members have said they called 911 to seek help as he went through a mental health crisis. Police said he ignored commands to drop a knife when they fatally shot him.
Many exchanges in the 911 tapes released Wednesday are unintelligible. At one point, a caller says that her brother is hitting her parents; says that her parents had called police earlier; mentions that her brother has a history of violence; and requests a medic for her parents.
The pair of police body cam videos shows police repeatedly yelling at Wallace to put a knife down and ordering bystanders to move. Wallace rushes between cars into a street where the two officers have their guns drawn. Several shots are fired, and Wallace falls on his front.
A woman rushes to the man, screaming and crying, and throws an object at one of the officers. Bystanders turn the man over, and the video shows Wallace lying on his black with blood on his chest and a brief flash of a large knife lying on the pavement next to him.
