Charges dismissed against police officer who shot and killed Puerto Rican Eddie Irizarry in Philadelphia due to alleged lack of evidence

WASHINGTON – A judge in Philadelphia on Tuesday dismissed all charges against police officer Mark Dial for the shooting death of driver Eddie Irizarry during a traffic stop, considering there was not enough evidence.

The officer had been charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter and five other charges stemming from the Aug. 14 shooting, which was captured on video.

Assistant Prosecutor Karima Yelverton said she did not agree with the ruling and would file an appeal today.

“Officers can go out on the street and kill a person who is not doing anything, and they can get away with the murder, because that’s what happened,” Zoraida García, an aunt of Irizarry, told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Initially, police sources had said that Irizarry was outside his car and armed with a knife with which he had attacked the officers before they shot him. However, the video shows that Irizarry was inside the car at all times.

After a preliminary hearing, Judge Wendy Lynn Pew accepted the defense’s argument that Dial was justified in shooting Irizarry because the officer and his colleague were reacting to a potential threat.

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Philadelphia officer who shot Puerto Rican Eddie Irizarry six times during a traffic stop is charged with murder, and body camera images are released