Walter Wallace-Junior: Latest News

Former Philadelphia Police officer Darren Kardos, arrested in assault of woman during 2020 racial protest. PHILADELPHIA - A former Philadelphia police officer has been found not guilty by a municipal court judge after being accused of beating a woman in front of her toddler in 2020.Prosecutors argued that 42-year-old Darren Kardos hit Rakia Young in the face with a baton in October 2020 as her 2-year-old son sat in the backseat.The incident occurred as protests erupted across the city just hours after Philadelphia police officers fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr. RELATED COVERAGE: Woman speaks out after fired Philadelphia officer is charged with assault during unrest in 2020Young was in the car with her son and 16-year-old nephew when they were both beaten with batons.Video captured the terrifying moments officers swarmed her car, broke windows and pulled them from the vehicle. Officer Kardos was fired in relation to the encounter, and later charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.RELATED COVERAGE: Prosecutors refile charges against Philadelphia officer in 2020 protest arrest after judge dismisses caseA judge dismissed the case last month, but prosecutors quickly refiled the charges.On Monday, Kardos was acquitted of all charges in connection to the case.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia judge dismissed all charges against a former police officer accused of assaulting a woman who accidentally drove a sport utility vehicle into a 2020 protest — but prosecutors quickly refiled the case.The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the judge's action Friday came after a police officer who was a witness failed to appear Friday for the aggravated assault trial of 42-year-old Darren Kardos. The woman wasn't in court either, but prosecutors said they had video evidence to put the case on without her testimony.The municipal court judge agreed to a defense request to dismiss the case while acknowledging that prosecutors were likely to refile the charges — something Assistant District Attorney Lyandra Retacco said was done later in the day.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia police officer who was fired amid accusations that he beat a woman in front of her toddler during unrest in 2020 is now facing charges in the incident, according to the District Attorney’s office. The incident occurred in Oct. 2020, during demonstrations in the days after Philadelphia police officers fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr. Officer Darren Kardos was suspended and later fired in relation to the encounter that left Rickia Young battered and bruised. On Thursday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that Kardos has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief. Young has said she was watching the news when she saw that protests over Wallace’s death had broken out in West Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA - All officers in Philadelphia will now carry tasers. All Philadelphia police officers will also undergo the required training needed to operate a taser. This comes exactly one year after the killing of Walter Wallace Jr. Officers who were not armed with tasers, shot and killed the 27-year-old of West Philadelphia one year ago Tuesday. The city says the decision is part of a settlement with Wallace's family who have called for more non-lethal options for police. In a statement the Wallace family says:"The Wallace Family continues to mourn the unnecessary and tragic death of Walter Wallace on the 1-year anniversary of his shooting.

WEST PHILADELPHIA - The family of Walter Wallace Jr. is suing the two Philadelphia police officers who fatally shot him in West Philly.The suit accuses officers Sean Matarazzo and Thomas Munz Jr. of using unreasonable force when they shot Wallace more than a dozen times outside his family's home after he approached them with a knife in October 2020.Wallace's family said he was in the middle of a mental health crisis.

Walter Wallace Jr. was shot and killed by police Monday afternoon.

PHILADELPHIA - In the fallout of the police-involved shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr., family attorney Shaka Johnson argued Friday that the Philadelphia Police Department failed to adhere to a 2015 Department of Justice report urging the department to outfit uniformed officers with tasers.According to Johnson, a federal probe into the department concluded that all Philadelphia police officers should be issued a taser as a standard utility. An Electronic Control Weapon, according to the findings presented by Johnson, would lead to far less deadly force incidents by police. Officers shot and killed Wallace Jr.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police will follow through with their promise to release the body camera footage and 911 audio of the events surrounding the deadly police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.City officials held a press conference announcing reform infinitives following the fatal shooting of Wallace.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia officials say the police body camera footage from the deadly shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. on Monday will be released by Wednesday next week.Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Krasner, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, and the Wallace family released a joint statement Thursday saying the footage and 911 audio would be released by the end of the day Nov.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia officials plan to release the police body camera footage Wednesday of the encounter that led officers to fatally shoot Walter Wallace Jr., the latest in a line of police killings of Black people to roil the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - The family of Walter Wallace Jr.

WEST PHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of protesters marched through West Philadelphia on Saturday as tensions remained high following the police shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr. The protest began around noon near the intersection of 61st and Locust Streets, then migrated to the 18th district police station where armor-clad officers stood guard behind police barricades.The protest ballooned in size as the afternoon continued. An estimated 400-500 people gathered at Malcolm X Park on Pine and 52nd Streets.The protests have remained peaceful to this point.

PHILADELPHIA - People living in Port Richmond say they once again felt completely helpless Tuesday night as they watched and heard about hundreds descending on their neighborhood businesses to loot and cause destruction. Groups that city leaders say were not apart of peaceful protests or any demonstrations mourning Walter Wallace Jr."We have no pharmacies where our seniors can get medication.

PHILADELPHIA - The Pennsylvania National Guard arrived in Philadelphia on Friday morning to help state and local law enforcement agencies maintain peace following looting and unrest sparked by the officer-involved shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered several hundred National Guard service members to Philadelphia on Tuesday to assist the city's Office of Emergency Management.Hordes of armor-clad Pennsylvania State Police troopers and dozens of police vehicles were seen near the Municipal Services Building in Center City overnight.