ALDAN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware County’s district attorney said Friday the actions of an Aldan police officer who shot and killed a man armed with a knife last week were justified.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, police were called to South Clifton and Aldan avenues around 3:30 a.m. after someone had requested a courtesy ride in Upper Darby.
An officer arrived at the scene and was confronted by 23-year-old Ugochukwu Ilodigwe. The officer, who has not been identified, was heard asking, “What’s going on?” in body camera footage released by the DA’s office before Ilodigwe charged at her with a knife.
“So you see him, he’s been tased, he’s on the ground, he’s incapacitated for the moment. And yet, as he’s being tased, he’s still reaching back for that knife,” said District Attorney Tanner Rouse.
Rouse said the officer tased him multiple times, but he kept getting up. He said she had no other choice but to shoot him.
“I can’t think of a thing in the world that she could have done differently. It is very clear from that video, and it’s very clear from the aftermath of this incident, she desperately wanted to avoid this situation.”
Ilodigwe was taken to Lankenau Medical Center, where he died.
The officer's injuries were minor. She was reassigned after the incident, but has now been cleared to return to active duty.
Rouse called the incident tragic, and said it's indicative of the state of mental healthcare in our country.
“Our mental health systems are not good enough. We are not equipped; we, law enforcement, we, society, are not equipped to handle something like this, and it’s a will issue.”
