The family of 27-year-old Walter Wallace, the mentally-disturbed Black man killed after being shot ten times when police responded to a call to 9-1-1, have said they called to have an ambulance respond to the man in distress, the Associated Press reports.
Instead of medical assistance, police showed up at the scene. Wallace had obtained a knife at some point prior to police arriving, and after refusing to drop the knife, police fired more than a dozen shots at Wallace from about ten feet away, hitting him ten times.
Wallace’s mother attempted to intervene at the time, and on a recording taken of the event, neighbors were shouting at police that the man had mental problems. Wallace never charged at the officers, who were backing up as Wallace walked in the street.
One of the officers drove Wallace in their police car to a local hospital, where he died.
Wallace’s girlfriend is pregnant and is scheduled to have labor induced this week.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said neither of the officers had been equipped with a Taser at the time of the shooting. Outlaw said Tasers had been requested but not yet funded. She also said that as of Tuesday afternoon, neither of the officers involved had been interviewed.
The shooting has sparked protests and some violence in Philadelphia. One officer was struck by a speeding truck, breaking his leg. More than 90 people have been arrested during the unrest.