Father Speaks Out After Son Riding Dirt Bike Is Killed By Police
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –A father is speaking out after his son is shot dead by police in Philadelphia.
It happened around 6:40 p.m. Thursday in the 4200 block of Whitaker Avenue.
Police say that an officer was transporting witnesses when he noticed a dirt bike rider driving recklessly.
According to Police Commissioner Richard Ross, the dirt bike soon stalled out, and the officer pulled next to him to investigate.
As the officer began speaking with the man from within his vehicle, the man began backing away from the officer's vehicle, said police.
Authorities say that officer observed a handgun while frisking the man and drew his service weapon.
"He ordered [the man] not to pull it several times," said Ross.
Ross adds both the officer and the witness, who was in the backseat of the police car, pleaded with the man to not pull out the gun.
That's when the suspect pulls away from the officer and pulls out the gun, according to a witness in the backseat of the officer's vehicle.
Ross says the officer fired his weapon at least one time. The man was transported to the hospital where he later died.
That man has been identified by family as 30-year-old David Jones.
"I love him and I'm just sad that this happened," said David's father, Thomas Jones.
This father, lost in grief and disappointment, is not one ready to point any blame over his son's police-involved shooting death.
"I'm not really mad, but just in shock you know. He was just here eating with us the other night," Jones said. "He tells me everything but he never said he had a gun or anything."
Jones explains that like him, his son David worked as a truck driver, willing to do long hauls that brought him back to the area every few weeks. On this trip home, he told his family he was ready to sell his dirt bike.
"We said that was a good thing because you know those dirt bikes [are] nothing but trouble," said Jones.
Police are reviewing video from local businesses that apparently show part of the shooting.
Ross says one video shows the suspect running away from one of the fired shots.
"We are looking for other video. Candidly speaking, part of that video does show that this male was running away for at least one of those shots."
Ross says officers are authorized to use deadly force, even if the person is running away, when they believe the subject poses an immediate deadly threat.
The identity of the officer has not yet been released.
