Eddie Irizarry: Officer charged with murder, bodycam released in deadly Philadelphia traffic stop shooting

WARNING: Body-worn camera videos within this story are raw, unedited and contain graphic images. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. 

Authorities have released body-worn camera videos of a deadly police involved shooting as the officer involved turned himself in to face criminal charges, including murder, Friday morning.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner released the 22-minute videos and announced charges against Mark Dial in the death of Eddie Irizarry during a press conference late Friday morning.

Dial, a five-year veteran of the force has been charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and official oppression for the August 14 shooting. He was released on bail, after posting 10 percent of $500,000, according to officials.

Late last month, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw suspended Dial with intent to dismiss after 30 days for ‘administrative violations connected to the investigation.

Those violations include refusal to properly obey proper order from a superior officer, and failure to participate in any departmental investigation, according to Outlaw.

"We will conclude our administrative investigation as soon as possible to ensure justice and closure is attained for all affected by the death of Mr. Irizarry," Outlaw said following the announcement of charges Friday.

City officials are calling for peace after the bodycam was shown publicly for the first time, with Mayor Kenney saying he is "confident" that the DA's Office is "working toward justice for Mr. Irizarry and his family."

The release of the videos comes after Irizarry’ family viewed the video privately last week. The family, through their attorney, has advocated for the unedited video to be released to the public.

Two videos, one from each responding officer's perspective, depict the moments leading up the deadly shooting, then Officer Dial transporting Irizarry to the hospital as the officer held the scene.

Irizarry was later pronounced dead at the hospital. A medical examination found cause of death to be "multiple gunshot wounds," with the manner of death listed as "homicide."

Both body worn cameras show the officers rushing to the vehicle, and yelling at Irizarry before the fatal shots were fired. The officers then take Irizarry out of his car, and place him into the back of their patrol vehicle.

An explanation of the videos released by the DA's office described the scene as follows:

"The BWC footage shows Officer Dial approaching the driver’s side of Irizarry’s vehicle, as Irizarry is seated. Both officers approached with their firearms out. At one point Irizarry is observed holding a small, open folding knife against his thigh. He then rolled up the driver’s side window. Dial is shown discharging into the vehicle six times, shattering the driver’s side glass and repeatedly striking Irizarry at close range."

Back on August 14, police say Dial and another officer initiated a traffic stop on an erratic driver in the area of B and Erie Streets.

The driver, later identified as 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry, turned the wrong way down Willard Street before pulling over and coming to a stop.

Video released by Shaka Johnson - the attorney representing Irizarry’s family - showed the officers pull up alongside Irizarry’s vehicle and quickly exit with their guns drawn.

One of the officers, since identified as Dial, can be seen making his way over to the driver’s side door and firing into the vehicle where Irizarry was still seated.

Police have said that the second officer had attempted to open Irizarry’s passenger side door when he spotted a knife, then alerted Dial that Irizarry had a weapon.

According to the video, less than 10 seconds transpired between the time the officers stepped out of their vehicle and the fatal shots being fired.

Initial information provided by police claimed that Irizarry had gotten out of his vehicle with a knife and lunged at officers, ignoring commands to drop the weapon. By the following evening, the department changed their account of the shooting, stating that Irizarry was actually seated inside the vehicle when he was shot.

Two knives were later observed inside the vehicle, according to police, who towed the vehicle to a garage as evidence.

The video also shows the officers pulling Irizarry out of the car after the shooting and loading him into their patrol car to rush him to a nearby hospital where he later died.

Defense attorney Brian McMonagle spoke to reporters earlier Friday morning after Dial turned himself in.

"The decision to charge Officer Dial with murder is appalling," Defense Attorney Brian J. McMonagle told reporters after escorting Dial into Philadelphia Police headquarters Friday morning.

McMonagle went on to say that Irizarry made an illegal turn, sped off, then tried to hide and evade police before disregarding commands and pointing a weapon at the officer.

The defense attorney claims that footage of the incident will prove that Officer Dial heard the word "gun" during the incident.

"We came across a video and just as said, and always maintained, when they got out of their car and they told him to show his hands, as Mark came across the front of the car ordering him to show his hands, he started to reach, he started to rise with something in his hands and Mark hears, ‘Gun!’ defense attorney Brian McMonagle explains.

"He saw an individual pointing what he thought was a gun right in his face, fearing that he was going to be the next police office killed on the streets of Philadelphia, he fired," attorney Fortunato Perri said.

The Irizarry family had pressed for the release of the video.

"I wanted it out for everyone to see that my nephew the whole time was murdered," Eddie’s aunt, Zoraida Garcia said.

"What’s your reaction to the murder charge?" FOX 29’s Jeff Cole asked.

"I’m happy that he got murder charges," Garcia replied. "Frustrated it took so long to charge him. One of us would already be charged."