Family Lawyer Raising Concerns About Deadly Police-Involved Shooting In Tacony
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Balloons, tears and hugs surrounded the corner of Hegerman Street and Princeton Avenue in the Tacony section of Northeast Philadelphia.
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Jeffrey Dennis, 36, was shot and killed Monday afternoon by an undercover narcotics Philadelphia police officer.
Police say the narcotics officers were conducting surveillance and preparing to serve a search warrant at Dennis' home in the 7100 block of Cottage Street when they spotted him driving a black Toyota Camry tied to the investigation.
Police say six undercover officers, two in each of three unmarked vehicles, used their cars to block Dennis in on Hegerman Street.
Investigators say after Dennis did not comply with the officers' commands to shut the Camry's vehicle off and started striking the barricaded vehicles.
One officer used a tool to shatter the driver's door window.
Police say Dennis continued to maneuver his car away from the officers and then struck an officer.
That's when police say that officer shot Dennis three times , killing him.
"You don't pin cars in the City of Philadelphia, that's a violation of police policy it creates danger where there otherwise isn't any," said Lee Merritt, a high-profile civil rights attorney who is now representing the family of Jeffrey Dennis.
Lee wants the copy of a nearby business' surveillance video.
"It's so important that law enforcement went into the diner where it was located and took out the entire video apparatus which is something I don't see in very many cases," said Merritt.
"He was a man, no he is a man and for the way that they treated him and for the way that it happens, it hurts," said Dennis' brother.
In the meantime, Dennis' family reflected on his life during a vigil on Wednesday night.
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They say the loving father of three recently proposed to his longtime girlfriend.
The Philadelphia Police Department's internal affairs division says they are investigating the shooting.
"My prayers are with the family and friends of Jeffrey Dennis. It is always tragic to lose someone you love. I am relieved there were no life threatening injuries to the police officers. The public should be assured that the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit is conducting a full investigation for the sake of Mr. Dennis, his family, the officers, and for Philadelphia," said Mayor Jim Kenney in a statement.