Surveillance video showed Officer Mark Dial fatally shooting Eddie Jose Irizarry on Aug. 14 seconds after pulling up next to his vehicle.
A former Philadelphia officer who fatally shot Eddie Irizarry as he sat in his car faces murder and other charges, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Friday after he released body camera footage of the Aug. 14 encounter.
The former officer, Mark Dial, turned himself in Friday morning, Krasner said. It’s not clear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Mark Dial, a five-year veteran, was fired from the Philadelphia Police Department after security video released by an attorney for Irizarry’s family showed him repeatedly firing into the man’s car.
Krasner, whoreleased additional police body camera footage before announcing the charges, said the video was “extremely difficult to watch.”
“There is always some level of trauma, especially for family members associated with watching something that is extremely violent,” he said, pausing to gather himself. “I hope anyone who is considering looking at these videos in the public, I hope that any adult will think twice … and frankly I hope any adult will think twice about watching these videos because in some ways and for some people they will be traumatic.”
Mayor Jim Kenney also called the footage “graphic” and offered his condolences to the Irizarry family.
“I recognize that no action that we take as a City can bring him back, but I am confident that the District Attorney’s Office is working toward justice for Mr. Irizarry and his family,” he said in a statement.
Irizarry, who moved from Puerto Rico when he was 19 and spoke very little English, had been driving erratically and was pulled over by police after driving the wrong way down a single-lane street, Shaka Johnson, an attorney for Irizarry’s family, previously said.
In one body camera video released Friday, Dial’s partner is seen exiting the police vehicle with his firearm drawn. Sound in the video doesn’t begin until after the shooting occurs.
A video from Dial’s body camera shows him approaching the car and shouting, “I’ll f—ing shoot you,” seconds before multiple gunshots are heard.
“Mark, stop,” the other officer says. “Move the car, Mark move the car.”
The officer, who has not been charged or identified, then opens the passenger side door while he radios for assistance.
Krasner’s office said in a news release Friday that Irizarry had a small, open folding knife against his thigh. He then rolled up the driver’s side window, the release states.
Authorities had previously said that two knives, one that appeared to be a “kitchen-style knife” and the other a serrated folding knife, were seen in the car. Johnson said Irizarry’s father had given him one of the knives because he worked as a mechanic.
Police had also previously said that Irizarry had gotten out of his car but security video released before the bodycam footage contradicted that as well.
Dial opened fire six times into the car, shattering the window and “repeatedly striking Irizarry at close range,” Krasner said.
Irizarry was taken to Temple Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner determined that he died from multiple gunshot wounds and that the manner was homicide, according to the district attorney.
“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, PPD Internal Affairs, and the independent review of the dedicated public corruption prosecutors in the DA’s Office,” Krasner said in a statement.
“As they do in all criminal proceedings, our Special Investigations Unit will continue to seek the truth of what happened on August 14th and what led to the killing of Mr. Irizarry, who was shot to death in his vehicle with the windows up,” he continued.
In addition to murder, Dial was charged with aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter, simple assault, reckless endangering of another person and official oppression.
The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 said Dial has their full support.
“Like any other individual facing allegations, Officer Dial is presumed innocent and looks forward to helping his attorneys prepare a vigorous defense against these serious criminal charges,” President John McNesby said in a statement.
Dial was initially placed on restrictive duty following the shooting. He was later suspended with the intention to be terminated for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the department’s investigation, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
Johnson had called for Dial to be arrested and charged. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.