The United States Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the death of a man who lunged at police holding a knife in west Philadelphia, and Your Content has learned ‘it’s a top priority to solve’ as early as Thursday.
“Ending the lawlessness has turned into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s number one priority,” an individual briefed on the situation exclusively told Your Content.
“An update is expected by Thursday.”
The source added “President Trump is 100% in the loop with all happenings in and around Philadelphia.”
During a campaign event in Arizona Wednesday, Trump weighed in on two nights of clashes with Philadelphia police and store break-ins following the fatal shooting by police of an armed knife wielding man later identified as Walter Wallace Jr.
“You can’t let that go on. Again, a Democrat-run state, a Democrat-run city, Philadelphia.” Trump declared, noting the federal government is reviewing the shooting, too.
The president also revealed police were told to stand back during rioting, but adds, “Maybe that’s not so, but that’s what I was told upon very good authority.”
The well-placed source, who previously told Your Content readers that charges were ‘imminent’ days before the arrest of three Minneapolis cops, says this scenario is ‘far different’ from the one of George Floyd.
“This isn’t your George Floyd case. The fatal shooting was the result of an armed man lunging at police.
“Take the knife out of the equation and you would not have the situation-or, vice-versa, had an officer been stabbed, there wouldn’t be international or even national attention.”
The source reiterated a previous statement made during the Floyd riots: “This is no longer a peaceful protest. This is now an arson, reckless endangerment, and borderline domestic terrorism investigation.
This is no longer a peaceful protest. This is now an arson, reckless endangerment, and borderline domestic terrorism investigation.
“There will be serious consequences for the crimes committed tonight as it has done nothing but divert resources from the investigation to monitor riot outbreaks.”
The Inquirer reports that their mission will be to provide security for “critical infrastructure” and to free up police to perform other duties, much like the role they played during racial injustice protests in the city in this spring.
It is unknown how long the Guard presence was expected to last or whether the troops sent to the city would be sticking around to respond to potential unrest surrounding the outcome of the election.
Video obtained by Your Content shows a pick up truck ramming through the crowd striking at-least one officer wearing a white shirt who was seen on the ground … bystanders fled the scene.
As Your Content previously reported, a 56-year-old sergeant was hospitalized in stable condition with a broken leg and other injuries after she “was intentionally run over by an individual driving a pick-up truck.”
The other injured officers were treated and released, Outlaw said.
The turmoil comes after police shot and killed a knife-wielding manic who lunged at them Monday.
It happened around 3:50 p.m. when officers responded to a domestic call along the 6100 block of Locust Street, according to the Inquirer.
Sgt. Eric Gripp, a spokesperson with the Philadelphia Police Department, says officers confronted a man with a knife at the scene.
Gripps say the man was shot multiple times by two officers after he didn’t adhere to calls to drop the weapon. He was later pronounced dead.
“Put the knife down, put the knife down,” one officer can be heard saying.
Both then fired several shots at the man and he collapsed in the street. A woman ran up to the victim and began screaming.
Several bystanders then walk up to the man who was shot.
The officers ordered the man to drop the knife before he allegedly charged at them. The officers were wearing body cameras, a police spokesperson said.
Witnesses told the newspaper that Wallace was at least 10 feet away from the officers when they opened fire. He was walking toward them and they were backing away at the time, the news report said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office’s Special Investigation Unit will be part of the investigation into the shooting.
“The DAO Special Investigation Unit responded to today’s fatal shooting of a civilian by police shortly after it occurred, and has been on scene with other DAO personnel since that time investigating, as we do jointly with the PPD Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Unit, in shootings and fatalities by other means involving police,” he said in a statement.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the video footage of the shooting “raises many questions.”
“Residents have my assurance that those questions will be fully addressed by the investigation,” she said. “While at the scene this evening, I heard and felt the anger of the community. Everyone involved will forever be impacted.”