Eddie Irizarry's family has viewed body camera footage of police shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eddie Irizarry's family has viewed the body camera footage that shows a Philadelphia police officer fatally shooting him, an attorney for the family told CBS News Philadelphia on Thursday.
According to that same attorney, District Attorney Larry Krasner told the family the footage should be released within two weeks.
"Seeing my nephew just sitting in the car not doing anything," Aunt Zoraida Garcia said. "And it's horrible."
Family members of Irizarry reacted after seeing body camera video of the police shooting that claimed his life. Garcia says the family still needs answers but they're not alone in that fight.
"We feel this is the killing of an innocent man," Rev. Luis Cortés, founder of the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia, said. "We know this is the killing of an innocent man."
Community members are rallying around the Irizarry family. Groups say they want police patrolling their streets but trust needs to be re-earned.
"We need effective public safety," Will Gonzalez, Executive Director of Ceiba, said. "This incident, plus its aftermath, has made it difficult."
Police training was a serious concern for community members who spoke on Thursday.
"What training are we giving to police officers that obviously doesn't work? Cortés said. "Who's passing judgment on the training?"
Rev. Cortés also demanded accountability from police and said the community deserves to know where the original story of Irizarry getting out of his car and lunging at police came from.
"We're upset because Commissioner [Danielle] Outlaw used the word misinformation, our community does not use the word misinformation," Cortés said. "We want to use the word conspiracy."
Family and community members protested Thursday outside the 24th Police District. Family members stressed while they want their voices heard, they want it to be done peacefully.
"We just want peace. That's all we want," Garcia said. "We don't want no one out here tearing our stuff apart."
Police still have not released the body camera footage of the Aug. 14 fatal shooting on Willard Street in Kensington - which led to them changing their initial claims that Irizarry lunged at them during the incident.
The initial police account of Irizarry's death said he was outside his car and lunged at officers. But after viewing the body camera video, police officials held a news conference and said Irizarry was actually inside his car when Officer Mark Dial walked up and opened fire.
Attorneys O'Brien and Shaka Johnson held their own news conference where they played and replayed surveillance video from a home on the block where the shooting occurred – showing Dial firing through the closed window of Irizarry's car seconds after arriving on the scene.
RELATED: Rally will call for justice, release of body camera footage in Eddie Irizarry shooting
Dial has been suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss after he refused to cooperate with investigators, police leaders said.
Philadelphia police declined to comment Thursday, citing an ongoing investigation.
Community members also say they sent a letter to Mayor Jim Kenney urging him to launch an independent investigation into the shooting. So far, they have not heard back.
This story has been updated to reflect the correct day the footage was viewed. It was Thursday. An additional update corrects the date the shooting occurred. It was Aug. 14.
