The brother of Walter Wallace Jr. called an ambulance on Monday, October 26, claiming that Wallace, who suffered from bipolar disorder, was having a mental health crisis. But police arrived first, and Wallace was shot multiple times in the street and died before his mother's eyes; a father of nine, Wallace and his wife, Dominique Wallace, were expecting a baby this week.

According to a report in The Guardian (opens in new tab), Wallace had a knife and did not comply with police orders to drop it before being shot. However, the police knew that Wallace was in danger. His mother, Catherine Wallace, said the police "stood there and laughed at us" during one of their visits.

Jaheem Simpson, an onlooker who videotaped the shooting, told CNN (opens in new tab) that the police officer, who has not been named, drew his weapon as soon as he saw Wallace's knife. "The thought in my head was, 'Where's the taser?' I was thinking, "Where's the taser? Simpson said.

Attorney Shaka Johnson, who represents the Wallace family, said at a press conference Tuesday that Philadelphia police officers are not equipped to deal with people experiencing a mental crisis." If someone comes to the scene of a mental crisis and the only tool to deal with it is a gun: ...... Where is the right tool for the job? Johnson said, the Associated Press reported (opens in new tab).

Police Commissioner Daniel Outlaw admitted that the Philadelphia Police Department does not have a mental health unit and that calls to police are not consistently coordinated with professionals, according to the Associated Press (opens in new tab), "We don't have a behavioral health unit that is sorely needed." Outlaw said." There is clearly a disconnect on our part in terms of knowing what is out there." She promised to release the 911 tapes and body camera footage once it is shared with Wallace's family. 9]

Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, in a statement Monday (open in new tab), condemned the "brazen, violent, and abusive behavior" of the Philadelphia police

adding that the police department has a "long history of brutality against the city's residents, especially Philadelphia's black population."

"It is time for Philadelphia, and indeed the entire nation, to divest from the police and invest in community programs, including mental health services, that allow for interventions that could have prevented Mr. Wallace's murder," Shuford continued. In 25 to 50 percent of the cases in which people were killed by police officers, the victims were in a mental health crisis. There should be a better way to handle these cases. Instead, however, we are once again failing the very people our police officers are sworn to protect."

Wallace's uncle, Rodney Everett, told CNN that his sister, Wallace's mother, is "filled with pain" after the death of her son, who was a "good-natured man." Everett said, "I am just disappointed that his life ended the way it did. I don't think it's right. I don't think it was right at all. I don't think they did justice."

Wallace's father, Walter Wallace Sr. said Tuesday that he has not been able to rest since his son was "butchered" by police, the Associated Press reported. 'It's in my head. I can't sleep at night. I can't even close my eyes."

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