A fatal police shooting in Philadelphia sparked a violent night of riots with at least 30 officers injured. The violence and destruction followed the police shooting of 27-year old Walter Wallace.
Authorities said that officers confronted Wallace, who was armed with a knife, on Monday afternoon. Officers called for Wallace to drop the weapon and after failing to do so advanced towards them. At that point, two of the officers shot him. Wallace was placed in a police vehicle and rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The shooting led to hundreds of people taking to the streets in protests, which quickly escalated into violence as the protestors approached a city police station. Officers were lined up behind metal barricades as demonstrators started throwing projectiles, burning police cars and looting local businesses.
Close to 30 officers were injured as a result of being struck by projectiles, including rocks and bricks. One officer, however, was struck and run over by a pickup truck that swerved into the officers lining the street. The 56-year old female Philadelphia police sergeant suffered a broken leg and various other injuries. She was taken to an area hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
Police arrested more than 30 people throughout the night for various charges, including looting, rioting, and assaulting officers.
Video of the shooting of Wallace was shared on social media, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw released a statement about the incident saying, “I recognize that the video of the incident raises many questions. Residents have my assurance that those questions will be fully addressed by the investigation.”
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