Philly police identify officer who shot, killed man at Fairhill traffic stop; that man's family is demanding justice, answers

The Philadelphia Police Department has identified the officer who fired the shots that killed Eddie Jose Irizarry during a traffic stop in Fairhill on Monday as Mark Dial.

He is a five-year veteran of the Department, currently assigned to the 24th District. He is on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The family of the man who was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer during a Monday afternoon traffic stop is calling for justice. At a candlelight vigil, held steps away from where the shooting happened, they say they want to see body camera video from the incident.

Friends and family packed into an area of East Willard Street, to remember 27-year-old Eddie Jose Irizarry, to light candles, and to release a bouquet of white helium-filled balloons. Some held posters that read “Justice for Junito” — the nickname his loved called him.

“Right now we want justice for Junito, that's it,” said an attendee.

Investigators say an officer fatally shot Irizarry during a traffic stop, while the man was sitting inside his car with knives present — contradicting an initial report that he was standing on the pavement and that he lunged at officers with a knife before shots were fired.

“You tell that boy to sit down, he'll sit down. He was a good kid. There's no need for that,” said another attendee.

His family has said he did not speak English.

His aunt, Zoraida Garcia, through tears, said she wants answers.

“I'm here with my whole family because we want justice.”

Garcia said the family wants an apology from the Police Department for changing its story — and to see video from the body cameras the officers were wearing, which police say recorded the entire incident.

They also want an explanation for why the officer fired his gun at all.

Irizarry’s sister Maria said she wants people to remember him as a good and humble person. She said he carried a knife in his car that he used as a tool, not a weapon.

“You guys didn't know him, but he was the humblest guy you could know. He was never a violent person, at all,” she said.

Earlier Wednesday, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw expressed frustration about the change to the initial police narrative. She said the department was transparent in adjusting the story after body camera footage was reviewed, and she hopes that contributes to building trust.

The officer who shot Irizzary is under investigation.