Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Philadelphia for a second night Tuesday following the fatal police shooting of a Black man.
It was the latest incident involving law enforcement’s use of lethal force against African Americans that has sparked nationwide protests. A bystander captured the incident on video and posted it to social media.
Some 500 people gathered at a park in West Philadelphia before marching through the neighborhood, chanting. On the opposite side of the city, people were seen on video entering stores and stealing.
The shooting happened Monday after the family of 27-year-old Walter Wallace placed an emergency call for medical assistance for Wallace, whom they say was having a mental health crisis. His family said through an attorney that the call was not for police intervention.
Authorities say Wallace was wielding a knife and ignored police orders to drop the weapon.
Wallace’s parents told reporters Tuesday that police were aware of their son’s mental health crisis because officers had been to the family home three times on Monday. It was not known whether the officers involved in the shooting knew of the prior calls.
Family members who spoke to reporters are questioning why police shot him and whether Tasers could have been used instead.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw says not every officer is equipped with Tasers. She says the officers involved in the case were not issued Tasers. She has also said she has yet to decide when and what information will be publicly released.
Police said they anticipated a second night of unrest after 91 people were arrested Monday night and Tuesday morning. Police previously said 30 officers were injured in clashes with protesters.
Officials have called for transparency and an investigation, including the disclosure of body camera video from the two officers who discharged their weapons.
White House communications director Alyssa Farah said on the Fox news channel Tuesday that the White House is monitoring the situation and that, “If necessary, we’ll be standing by and prepared to deploy federal resources.”
Earlier this year, protests erupted in the city of Minneapolis and around the world following the May 25 death of George Floyd, an African American, in police custody. Those demonstrations were sparked after one of the officers in the case was videotaped with his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
