Relations between officers and community further strain after deadly Kensington police shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The investigation into what led an officer to shoot and kill Eddie Irizarry in Kensington on Monday is ongoing. Police identified the officer as Mark Dial who worked for the department for five years.
"I think there's mixed emotions from the community," Pastor Carl Day said. "I think people are outraged, people are upset."
Community members were left with questions after the deadly police shooting.
Police initially reported Irizarry exited his car and lunged at officers with a knife. But days later, Philadelphia Police Department leaders changed the narrative saying the body cam video showed Irizarry never left his vehicle before being shot.
Anthony Erace and the Citizens Police Oversight Commission have been monitoring the investigation.
"It is not uncommon for most of the information at the outset of any incident to be wrong," Erace said. "What's uncommon is that it's not usually reported publicly as a public narrative."
Erace believes the police were right to try to correct the story as quickly as possible but acknowledges how that could sit with the public.
"Community and police relations have been troubled in Philadelphia for quite some time," Erace said. "Incidents like kind of exacerbate those existing difficulties."
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Now comes the tall task of trying to rebuild that trust. Erace and Pastor Day, who has spent years forging relationships between police and communities, agree it will take work.
"You have to be able to see it on your street corner. You have to be able to see it in your neighborhood," Erace said.
"I'm urging and imploring officers to please step out your vehicles, speak to the citizens, get to know the people around you, and say vice versa," Day said.
Commissioner Danielle Outlaw hoped on Wednesday their correction could be seen as a first step in rebuilding that trust.
"I'm hoping that our efforts in being transparent is at least a first step in that," she said. "I understand the reticence, I understand folks not being really sure whether or not they should even trust what we're saying today."
Police on Friday said there was no update in the investigation into Irizarry's shooting saying only that the case is active and ongoing.
We reached out to attorneys for Officer Dial but have not heard back.
Police released a statement to CBS News Philadelphia:
"As with all officer-involved shootings, a full and thorough investigation is being conducted through the Philadelphia Police Department's Internal Affairs Bureau and Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit. While we value transparency, we must maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigations. Once our investigation is concluded, we will be able to provide additional information around this incident. We hope that being transparent with the findings of our ongoing investigations, once they have concluded, will help to build trust between residents and police."
