New video obtained by NBC10 on Monday showed a Philadelphia police officer interact with a man and then leave him as he laid on the road before a deadly hit-and-run.
The incident occurred a man walking with an unsteady gait in the bike lane along the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 27, at around 1:40 a.m. was approached by a 35th District police officer. The officer was driving in the area then pulled up next to the man and began to speak with him while still inside his vehicle, according to police.
During the conversation, the man fell to the ground. The officer then exited the vehicle and continued to speak to the man who remained on the ground in the bike lane.
New video obtained by NBC10 on Monday showed a Philadelphia police officer interact with a man and then leave him as he laid on the road in a deadly hit-and-run.
Video obtained by NBC10 on Monday confirmed what police said at the time and showed the officer as he then went back into his car and drove away from the scene as the man continued to lie on the ground. At some point, another person walked over to the victim and began to speak with him. At that point, the victim was lying partially in the street as well as the bike lane.
Then, the man standing leaves the man as he continues to lay on the bike lane. Video NBC10 obtained showed a vehicle — a 2023-2026 jungle green Kia Sportage, X-Line — went around a vehicle and ran the man over.
Video showed the Sportage — which had black and chrome rims — continued eastbound on Tabor Road without stopping. Police said Monday that the vehicle is now in their position, but they have not announced any arrests.
Fernando Suarez, who provided the video, which was from his business at the corner, said he shared the video because he wants to help his corner of the community.
“It’s important that we, as business owners, take charge of our own corners,” Suarez said. “I’m passionate that every small business is a leader in their own community.”
The Philadelphia Police Department said that the officer involved failed to follow a police report, and, during a press conference Friday afternoon, First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford criticized the officer, saying that his conduct went “against everything we stand for.”
“We talk about empathy. We talk about compassion as an organization,” Stanford said. “And none of those things were on display.”
The officer’s name has not been released and a department spokesperson told NBC10’s Brian Sheehan on Monday that he remains on administrative leave as the internal investigation continues.