Philadelphia reaches settlement with Walter Wallace family
CENTER CITY - October 26 marked one year since Walter Wallace, Jr. was shot and killed by Philadelphia police. Wallace’s family has reached a settlement in their lawsuit filed against the city in the wake of his death. The city of Philadelphia will pay the estate of Walter Wallace, Jr what a family attorney calls a "substantial momentary settlement" for the 27-year-old’s death one year ago.
Wallace, the father of nine, who had long suffered with mental health issues, faced down two city police officers with a knife in front of his parent’s Locust Street home in 2020.
The officers’ body cameras captured Wallace walking toward the officers while they repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon. They shot him to death.
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The killing sparked outrage when it was learned the officers were not aware of earlier calls to the home, and were not equipped with tasers that may have saved Wallace’s life.
His father, also named Walter Wallace, gathered with his wife and daughter outside Philadelphia City Hall as their attorney announced a series of reforms prompted by the killing. Attorney Shaka Johnson said all police will receive a taser along with training and a mandate they wear them on their belt.
Walter Wallace said, "If this situation saves anybody’s life, one out of so many thousands of lives, I think we’ve accomplished something."
Attorney Johnson would not reveal how much money the city will pay Wallace’s estate, and a spokesperson for Mayor Kenney said, at the family’s urging, it would not release the amount of the settlement without what’s called a Right-to-Know request. FOX 29 has made the request.
When asked how Wallace’s nine children were doing, his father said, "They were taking it one day at a time."
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