Expand / Collapse search
☰

Man shot to death by police laid to rest in Philadelphia as loved ones call for justice

Published  August 24, 2023 5:37pm EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Man shot to death by police laid to rest in Philadelphia as loved ones call for justice

Eddie Irizarry, a 27-year-old man shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Philadelphia, was laid to rest Thursday as loved ones continued their calls for justice.

PHILADELPHIA - Eddie Irizarry, a 27-year-old man shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in Philadelphia, was laid to rest Thursday as loved ones continued their calls for justice.

Mourners gathered at Christ and St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in North Philadelphia to reflect on Irizarry's life and what loved ones described as his ever-present smile.

The music Irizarry loved played loudly as 4-wheelers accompanied the hearse that carried Irizarry's body from the church to a nearby cemetery where he was laid to rest.

Meanwhile, calls for justice in the deadly police shooting continued to mount among funeral goers, with many chiding the Philadelphia Police Department's lack of transparency.

RELATED COVERAGE

"Justice is communication, telling the truth – it was a lie – they didn't believe the family when they said ‘we know Eddie, he didn’t do what you say was done'," Charito Morales said.

The officer seen on video firing deadly shots at Irizarry as he sat in his car was identified as Mark Dial, a 5-year veteran of the force. He has since been suspended with intent to dismiss.

Initial reports from police stated that Irizarry lunged at police after refusing to drop his knife. However, video released by his family's attorney showed he was shot death while sitting inside his car.

District Attorney Larry Krasner appeared on Good Day Philadelphia Thursday morning and said police body camera footage will be shared in the "near future."

DA Krasner discusses release of bodycam footage in deadly traffic stop

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner say bodycam footage will be made public "in the near future" after a man was fatally shot during a traffic stop last week.

Krasner believes timing is important for its release in an effort to "protect the integrity of the investigation," and avoid "phony" witnesses.

"We have to be transparent, we also have to make sure our investigation is completed with integrity and that means not putting stuff out there too soon," Krasner told FOX 29.

The District Attorney has been in communication with Irizarry's family and says he'll have a face-to-face meeting with them soon.

Advocates, meanwhile, are planning to hold a demonstration outside Krasner's office on Tuesday during which they say they will push for Dial's arrest.

"He's a murderer," Morales said. "He killed with a uniform, we're supposed to trust, to believe in the police, he used that power to do what he did, he killed, he's a murderer."