The police officer who fatally shot Eddie Irizarry during a traffic stop last month was charged with murder, the Philadelphia district attorney said Friday after releasing body camera footage of the”extremely violent” encounter.
The unedited footage shows Officer Mark Dial firing into Irizarry’s car through the rolled up driver’s side window roughly five seconds after exiting a police car.
Immediately before the officer fires six shots, an unidentified voice from outside the car is heard saying, “I will f**king shoot you!”
Irizarry, bloodied and unresponsive, was pulled out of the car by an officer and then carried to the back of a patrol vehicle in which he was rushed to a hospital, according to the video.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said Irizarry’s family saw the footage and asked that it be released in its entirety.
“These body-worn camera videos will be introduced into evidence, most likely at both the preliminary hearing and a trial,” Krasner said after releasing the footage. “They are crucial evidence in the case and in many ways, they speak for themselves.”
Dial, who turned himself in Friday morning, also faces charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangering of another person, and official oppression. Dial’s bail was set at $500,000 at arraignment, according to the district attorney’s office. He did not enter a plea. He later posted bail and a preliminary hearing was set for September 26, according to court documents.
“We intend to vigorously defend him against the charges,” defense attorney Fortunato Perri Jr. said in a statement. “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.”
Brian McMonagle, another attorney representing Dial, said Friday his client believed Irizarry was pointing a gun at him.
“Video evidence in this case which we’ve uncovered demonstrates completely that officer Dial got out of his car, ordered (Irizarry) to show his hands, and then heard ‘gun,’” McMonagle said.
Krasner would not comment on whether an officer is heard in the audio saying Irizarry had a gun.