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Philly DA promises an "even-handed" review of fatal shooting

Published  January 31, 2018 10:58pm EST
US
FOX 29 Philadelphia

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Philadelphia's district attorney is promising an "even-handed" review of the fatal shooting of a Virginia man by an off-duty Philly police detective.

READ MORE: Police: Off-duty officer fatally shoots driver after pedestrian hit in South Philly|Man shot by officer after hitting pedestrian identified

FOX 29's Bruce Gordon caught up with Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner at his office's Eagles pep rally Wednesday and asked whether Krasner has seen what police investigators have gathered regarding the incident.

"We have received some materials," Krasner responded. "There's more to receive. We're reviewing what we have now and we're going to follow the evidence wherever it leads."

The off-duty detective---whose name has not yet been released--confronted 31-year-old Khalil Lawal after police say Lawal struck a pedestrian at Broad and Bigler around 7:30 a.m. Monday morning.

FOX 29 has learned at least three video cameras, including one on a nearby home recorded the incident, in which the driver, now out of his vehicle struggled with the detective.

FOX 29 has been told the detective fired several shots, knocking the man to the ground and then continued firing--striking the man 13 times in all.

The number of shots appeared to be an issue for Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross when he discussed the case Monday:

"There are some concerns because of the way the shots were fired and the positioning and things like that," Commissioner Ross said. "But at this time, I'm just being very candid about the fact that we do have some concerns about the discharge."

Tuesday night, Philadelphia police took to Twitter asking ,"If you are a witness to the police shooting incident at Broad and Bigler or had any interaction with the operator of the black Honda Accord call investigators at 215-683-1866.

As for Krasner: "We have no favorite," he told Gordon. "We just intend to be completely even-handed and fair in coming to a conclusion about what occurred."