A man shot and killed Monday by a Philadelphia Police Department officer was inside a vehicle during the shooting -- not outside, as officers originally said -- the police commissioner announced.
"The body-worn camera footage made it very clear what we initially reported was not actually what happened," Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said during a news conference.
The announcement comes as the department is working with the District Attorney's Office to investigate the shooting, which left 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry dead, Outlaw said.
The case is unfolding as police use of force is under scrutiny nationwide.
Shortly after this week's shooting in Philadelphia, Corporal Jasmine Reilly told reporters officers gave commands to Irizarry to drop a weapon while he was outside his vehicle.
Irizarry "lunged at the officers; one of the officers discharged his weapon multiple times," Reilly said at the time.
But an updated timeline in a Tuesday news release said Irizarry was in a car when an officer shot multiple times into the vehicle.
The information stating Irizarry lunged at the officer was initially called in on police radio, Chief of Detectives Christine Coulter said.
The details released Monday were the best information available at the time, Outlaw said.
"I understand and want to acknowledge the hurt and confusion that family and community members can experience when details of investigations change -- and especially when they change in a very public way," the commissioner said.
The incident began around noon Monday when two officers saw a man driving erratically and going the wrong way down a one-way street, according to the news release.
When the man pulled into a parking spot, two officers approached the vehicle, Outlaw said.
One officer warned the other the man had a weapon, then the other officer shot multiple times into the car, according to the release.
The officer who discharged the weapon has been placed on restricted leave, as police and the District Attorney's Office look into the incident and how the original report was communicated, the release said.
Two knives were found inside the car, according to Outlaw and the news release. Outlaw could not confirm whether Irizarry was holding the knives or whether a warning was given before the officer shot into the car.
"The decision to utilize deadly force is one of the most difficult and far-reaching decisions that an officer will ever face," Outlaw said.
"As with all officer involved shootings, a full and thorough investigation will be conducted through the Philadelphia Police Department's Internal Affairs Bureau and Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit. The PPD will work closely with the District Attorney's Office to ensure an additional layer of transparency remains present," a police statement said.
