Philadelphia calls in National Guard after Walter Wallace killing by police triggers unrest
- Police shoot dead Walter Wallace Jnr, whose family say suffered mental health issues
- The US has seen a wave of protests and rioting since the police killing of George Floyd in May
Philadelphia will deploy more police and has called for help from the National Guard as it braces for further unrest after the police killing of a black man armed with a knife, authorities said.
Hundreds of protesters took to Philadelphia’s streets on Monday after a bystander’s video was shared on social media showing two officers shooting 27-year-old Walter Wallace after he did not heed orders to back off and to drop the knife.
Wallace was bipolar and his mental issues were relayed to the officers before the shooting, a lawyer for the family said.
While the demonstrations began peacefully on Monday at Malcolm X Park on the west side of the city, they later turned violent, inflicting significant damage on businesses and leading to 91 arrests, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told a briefing on Tuesday,
“For today and this evening we anticipate the chance of additional incidents of civil unrest and as such we will be taking additional steps to ensure order,” Outlaw said, adding that she had asked surrounding counties for assistance.
