Police ID officer who shot, killed man in Northeast Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Philadelphia police released the name of the officer involved in a deadly police-involved shooting Monday in Tacony. Police say Officer Richard Nicoletti, who is a 29-year veteran of the force, is the officer who shot and killed 36-year-old Jeffrey Dennis in his car while police conducted a narcotics investigation.
MORE: Vigil held for suspect shot, killed by police officer in Tacony
Commissioner Richard Ross met with the family of Dennis, just days after he was shot and killed after police say he rammed his car into another officer.
The meeting on Thursday focused on the use of force tactics by officers during the incident, which happened as police tried to serve a drug warrant. The attorney for the family of Jeffrey Dennis says the biggest takeaway from the meeting was the guarantee of transparency.
After the meeting, Attorney Lee Merritt spoke with the media. He said that Commissioner Ross told them there is video evidence that shows every aspect of what happened and from several angles. He also said that while grateful for the meeting it will take justice to help restore trust with the police.
Philadelphia's police union released the following statement:
"It's unfortunate that city leaders and others are prematurely second-guessing the tactics of police officers during a volatile and chaotic situation that lead to the death of an alleged drug suspect. Officers are entitled to due-process of law like every other citizen. And our officers are also presumed innocent until proven guilty."
Officers spotted Dennis driving near his home where they were serving a search warrant for drugs. Police say he ignored their commands to stop and struck and injured the officer. Another officer fired at least three shots--killing Dennis.
Lee Merritt, an attorney for the Dennis family spoke with FOX 29 and voiced his concerns about the shooting.
"The Philadelphia Police Department policy says if you have a car that's moving you get out of the way you don't fire into that car," Merritt added, seemingly mirroring some of the commissioner's concerns.
Dennis' family says he coached his son's youth football team and loved his children ages 6, 11 and 17. Dennis does have a record of prior arrests. A search warrant at his home later turned up drugs, a gun and over $6,000 in cash.
On Wednesday morning, the DA's office turned this investigation over to the state attorney general because of a potential conflict of interest. As FOX 29 first reported Monday night, DA Larry Krasner once represented Dennis when he was a defense attorney.