Body cam footage of 27-year-old ex-Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial has been released. Dial can be seen in the passenger seat of his police cruiser on Aug. 14 as he and his partner follow Eddie Irizarry in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Police say Irizarry was driving erratically as he turned the wrong way down a one-way street.
In the video, Dial quickly gets out of his car before approaching Irizarry’s driver-side window with his gun drawn, yelling commands before firing his weapon. Dial continues to yell at Irizarry, who is motionless in the driver seat, to put his hands up. Irizarry can be heard moaning in his final moments.
Police then transported Irizarry to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner determined he died from multiple gunshot wounds and that the manner of death was homicide.
The video directly contradicts initial reports from police that said Irizarry was outside of his car. After reviewing the video, police changed that report.
District Attorney Larry Krasner tweeted Friday saying, "The allegations brought against defendant Mark Dial today are among the most serious in our criminal legal system and are the culmination of weeks of investigative work by the PPD Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team." He goes on to say, "This Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office stands for even-handed justice regardless of pressure to favor members of any group."
Scripps News has reached out to Dial’s attorney Fortunato Perri for comment but we have not heard back. However, in an interview with local station NBC10, Perri said, "We intend to vigorously defend him against the charges. Despite what has been portrayed to the media, the facts will unmistakably show that Officer Mark Dial was legally justified in discharging his weapon while fearing for his life."
Dial has been fired, and faces six charges including murder, aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangering of another person and official oppression.
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