Walter Wallace Jr. laid to rest in North Philadelphia

article

Walter Wallace Jr. was shot and killed by police Monday afternoon.

PHILADELPHIA - Walter Wallace Jr., the man shot and killed by Philadelphia police officers during an altercation in late October, was laid to rest Saturday morning during a service in North Philadelphia.

The funeral for the 27-year-old father of nine was held at National Temple Baptist Church on the 1600 block of Master Street.

The family of Wallace Jr. has argued that he was experiencing a mental crisis when two Philadelphia police officers responded to multiple domestic disturbance calls from the 6100 block of Locust Street on Oct. 26.

MORE: 'Obvious mental health crisis': Attorney describes body camera video of Walter Wallace Jr. shooting

Police body camera footage released on Wednesday showed Wallace emerge from the house with a knife in his hand. Officers made several commands for Wallace Jr. to drop the knife, but he refused and the officers fired opened fire. Wallace was taken to the hospital by police and pronounced dead.

The wake of Wallace's death sparked days of protests and unrest that spiraled into looting and destruction in some areas around the city. Philadelphia issued two overnight curfews amid the unrest, and called in the National Guard and additional support from the Pennsylvania State Police.

On Wednesday, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the officers who opened fire as 25-year-old Sean Matarazzo and 26-year-old Thomas Munz. Outlaw said neither officer was trained to carry an Electronic Control Weapon and did not have a taser during the shooting.

Family Attorney Shaka Johnson on Friday said the Wallace family is not calling for the arrest of the two officers. Instead, they are deferring to District Attorney Larry Krasner's judgement for potential prosecution.

___

Attorney: Philadelphia Police Dept. ignored 2015 DOJ report urging distribution of tasers to officers

Obvious mental health crisis': Attorney describes body camera video of Walter Wallace Jr. shooting

'Justice should be served’: Family of Walter Wallace Jr. calls for justice and peace in wake of fatal shooting

Family of Walter Wallace Jr. remember their son, continue calls for justice and peace