Mark Dial: Former Philadelphia cop who shot Eddie Irizarry charged with murder, says it was 'justified'
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: A former Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed Eddie Irizarry as he sat in his car on August 14, has been charged with murder and other offences, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Friday.
Mark Dial, a five-year veteran of the force, turned himself in Friday morning, according to NBC 10.
He was fired from the department after security video showed him firing six shots at Irizarry on August 14, seconds after pulling up next to his vehicle.
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What are the full charges against Mark Dial?
Dial is charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and official oppression.
Krasner, who played an additional unedited video of the encounter from a police body-worn camera before announcing the charges, said the footage was “extremely difficult to watch," the outlet noted.
“In some ways and for some people, they will be traumatic,” he said.
Dial opened fire six times into the car, shattering the window and "repeatedly striking Irizarry at close range," Krasner said.
What have investigators stated so far?
They reportedly said he was holding a small, open folding knife against his thigh when he rolled up the driver’s side window, investigators said. He was seated inside his car when he was shot.
Irizarry was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Shaka Johnson, an attorney representing Irizarry's family, had stated that Irizarry migrated to the US from Puerto Rico when he was 19.
He said he knew very little English, had been driving recklessly and was pulled over by police. He was shot while sitting in his car.
How did Mark Dial's lawyers react to the murder charges?
The lawyers for Dial have called the murder charges appalling and have vowed to defend him. They said he was legally justified in discharging his weapon while fearing for his life.
“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’s attorney Fortunato Perri said.
What did District Attorney Larry Krasner state about the investigation?
He said, "The allegations brought against defendant Mark Dial today are among the most serious in our criminal legal system."
He added, "It was 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."
He said, "The special publication unit will continue to seek the truth of what happened on August 14," and what led to the killing of Irizarry, "who was shot to death in his vehicle with the windows up."
