Philadelphia officer charged with murder in shooting death of Eddie Irizarry; bodycam video released

By6abc Digital Staff WPVI logo
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Cop charged with murder after deadly shooting; bodycam video released
Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial has turned himself in following the deadly Eddie Irizarry shooting was caught on bodycam video.

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Eddie Irizarry last month in the city's Kensington section.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a Friday news conference that the full list of charges against Dial includes murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangering another person and official oppression.

Dial surrendered earlier Friday morning. He has been arraigned and court documents show 10% of $500,000 bail was posted.

Krasner also released bodycam video from the Aug. 14 shooting. The video was released at the request of Irizarry's family, Krasner said.

The video, from Dial's body-worn camera, shows him getting out of the passenger's side of a police SUV and running to a car with Irizarry behind the wheel.

The officer can be seen holding a gun as he quickly approaches the car.

Shouts of "Show me your hands" and "I'll f------ shoot you" are heard just as Dial runs up to Irizarry's closed car window.

Dial then fires five shots at point-blank range, then runs past the front of the car while firing a sixth time.

"These body-worn camera videos will be introduced into evidence, mostly likely at both the preliminary hearing and at trial," Krasner said. "They are crucial evidence in the case and, in many ways, they speak for themselves."

Mark Dial

Dial's attorney, Brian McMonagle, said there is more to the story.

"Video evidence in this case, which we've uncovered, demonstrates completely that Officer Dial got out of his car, ordered him to show his hands, and then heard 'gun.' You can hear it on the video," McMonagle said.

We asked Krasner about that assertion, but the D.A. wouldn't go into specifics about whether the body camera video gave any insight on that.

"He then saw an individual pointing what he thought was a gun right in his face," McMonagle continued. "Fearing that he was going to be the next police officer killed in the streets of Philadelphia, he fired."

Dial, who has been on the force for five years, was suspended with intent to dismiss after officials said he refused to cooperate in the investigation of the killing.

Police officials said the shooting happened after officers spotted the car driving erratically and followed it for several blocks. Then, officers approached as the driver turned the wrong way down a one-way street and stopped.

On the day of the shooting, police officials said Irizarry was outside the car when he was killed after lunging at police with a knife.

Two days later, the department acknowledged Irizarry was fatally shot while inside his car.

Irizarry's aunt explained why the family wanted the video to be released.

"I want the world to see what this officer did to my nephew and the suffering he has caused my family," Zoraida Garcia said.

Garcia says it wasn't an easy decision. The graphic video was difficult to watch, but she says it was necessary.

"It crushed me. It broke my heart. Seeing that video and that footage, I was just heartbroken. And today, seeing that again, it ripped me apart all over again," she continued.

A criminal investigation is being conducted by the district attorney's office.

In a statement, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 said "We ask the public to reserve judgment until all the evidence is presented during trial."

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