A Philadelphia police officer was charged with murder after he fatally shot a 27-year old man on August 14. Eddie Irizarry was driving his Toyota Corolla in the Kensington neighborhood of northern Philadelphia, when he turned the wrong way onto a one way street. Irizarry pulled into a parking spot about halfway down the street. Officer Mark Dial and his partner saw him driving “erratically” so they started following him eventually making it to his parking spot. Dial hurried out of passenger seat walking up to the drivers side, and his partner approaching the vehicle from the passenger side. Dial immediately tells Irizarry that he “will shoot” and proceeds to fire his gun multiple times into the driver’s seat window. Dial then called in “shots fired” to the radio, while Irizarry is seen covered in blood and slumps over in his seat. Dial then drags him out of the car and with the help of his partner loads him into the police car. Dial takes Irizarry to the hospital an is seen pulling him by the belt out of the car. Hospital staff take over but unfortunately Irizarry was pronounced dead later that day.

Mark Dial saw a different story than the one shown on the body camera. Dial explained that they were in a car chase ending in Irizarry lunging at him with a knife. Dial explained that he shot him in self-defense and then rushed him to the hospital to try to save his life.

It was found that there were two knifes in the car, a kitchen knife, and a serrated folding knife. However, Irizarry’s sister confirmed that he brought the pocketknife everywhere he went as a tool. Also, Irizarry was still in the car when he was shot, so he couldn’t have possibly had time to lunge at the officer with the knife. 

Eddie Irizarry had moved to Philadelphia from Puerto Rico, seven years ago. He had difficulty understanding English, and was being treated for mental illness, including schizophrenia. However, he was seen by family as a quiet man who like to work on motorcycles. 

Mark Dial is being charged with simple assault, aggravated assault, voluntary manslaughter, possession of a instrument of crime, official oppression, and reckless endangerment. The Philadelphia Municipal Court set his bail at $500,000, however he immediately posted 10% of the bail to secure his release. Later, Dial was returned to police custody after bail for his particular case was deemed unconstitutional. A preliminary hearing is set for September 26th to further decide Mark Dial’s fate.