Philly Officers Named, Video Released In Walter Wallace Jr Death

PHILADELPHIA — The two police officers involved in the shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr. on Oct. 26 in West Philadelphia have been identified. Officials also released police body camera footage of the incident, as well as the 911 call and police dispatch audio.

During a news conference Wednesday, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the officers involved were Sean Matarazzo, 25, and Thomas Munz, 26, both of the 18th District. Matarazzo joined the force in 2018 and Munz in 2017.

The video footage release is the first time Philadelphia authorities have done so.

Police body camera video begins when Matarazzo and Munz arrive at the scene and ends with Wallace being placed in the back of a police vehicle after being shot.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said the footage ends at that moment per the request of Wallace's family.

The footage, as well as 911 and police radio audio, is available to watch at the link below, but it contains graphic and violent content. Viewer discretion is advised, especially for young children and sensitive viewers.

See the footage here.

Outlaw did not provide details on the officer's status in the department, but investigations are ongoing.

These kinds of shootings are handled by the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation unit and the Internal Affairs Bureau.

Outlaw said they two entities work separately from one another, with the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation unit looking at potential criminal actions alongside the District Attorney's Office and the Internal Affairs Bureau looking at police department policy violations.

"It is very difficult to put a timeline on how long the investigation may take," Outlaw said while referencing the various factors of the shooting must be taken into account. "However, the PPD does work to ensure that these investigations are conducted in a timely and through manner."

After the Internal Affairs Bureau investigation is done, the Use of Force Review Board will determine whether the officers violated departmental policy specific to the shooting.

If violations are found, the bureau forward the report to the Police Board of Inquiry which determines if the officers will be charged with policy violations.

If discipline is proposed, the officers can appear before the board for a hearing and Outlaw can then agree with findings from the board or take direct action, which can include termination, Outlaw said.

Outlaw also said police officers get 40 hours deescalation training while in the police academy. Additionally, new recruits get 16 hours deescalation training specific to vehicle incidents and stops.

But possibly more germane to Wallace's death, Outlaw and Acting Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services Dr. Jill Bowen discussed how the two departments are working to provide more appropriate responses to behavioral and mental health crises.

In late September this year, the PPD and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) started working to better identify crisis calls that come in through 911. In October this year, the city laid out plans to build out its 911 triage and co-responder program which is designed to get those suffering behavioral health crises with the resources they need.

"In this model, a specialist from the Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services is embedded into police radio," Outlaw said, marking the first time such a partnership formed in the police department.

Bowen said the specialists are learning what kinds of calls police get to ultimately help call takers identify behavioral heath related calls. These specialists will work with dispatchers to provide the most appropriate response for such calls.

That pilot program is in its first phase and Bowen said it's expected to move to the second phase in January 2021.

Police are also launching what is called "active bystandership for law enforcement" training, which focuses on the police duty to intervene in such cases.

"We believe this is a significant move forward," she said, referring to incident such as the one on Oct. 26.

Additionally, dispatchers will undergo modified crisis intervention training (CIT) next week, which will provide 911 call takers and dispatchers with more abilities to identify crisis calls so officers with crisis intervention training can respond.

Bowen said crisis intervention training has been conducted in the department since 2007. More than 3,000 officers have received the training.

On top of embedding specialists with officers on duty, Bowen's department started a pilot program in late September to put mental health navigators in the police 911 radio center.

"The purpose of the training is to promote empathy and understanding while increasing effective communication with community members when they are in some of the most vulnerable phases of their lives," Bowen said.

Outlaw said dispatchers will also begin using a "decision tree" which will help them identify crisis calls when those calling 911 don't voluntarily provide details indicating a behavioral health crisis.

"We expect all our dispatchers to be CIT trained by the fall of 2021," Outlaw said.

Bowen said her department and the police have been working to provide mental health first aid training to new recruits since 2017.

Wallace, 27, died after being shot in the shoulder and chest at about 4 p.m. Oct. 26 on the 6100 block of Locust Street.

He was armed with a knife when Matarazzo and Munz fired seven shots each at him, striking him in the shoulder and chest. One of the officers rushed Wallace to a hospital, where he died.

Witness video showed Wallace walking toward the officers with a knife in hand and his mother trying to stop him. Matarazzo and Munz can be heard in the video telling Wallace to drop the knife and his mother to back up as they backpedal away from Wallace who was walking slowly.

The video shows Wallace continuing to walk toward Matarazzo and Munz, who then opened fire.

The Wallace family has said they do not want Matarazzo and Munz charged with murder, according to Action News. The family also said the 911 call made was for an ambulance, not police, NBC10 reports.

Wallace reportedly suffered from mental health issues.

The family and city officials agreed on the release date, saying it is "in the best interest of our city and its residents."

Wallace's death sparked protests and then looting and violence in the city. The Wallace family has decried the looting and violence that proceeded following his death.

Since Oct. 26, 225 people have been arrested during looting and other unrest in Philadelphia. Additionally, since Oct. 26 617 total looting incidents have been reported, 18 police and fire vehicles have been damaged, and 24 explosions at ATMs have been reported.

Fifty-nine police officers have been injured, as well.