NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA — A 26-year-old man was shot and killed by police on Friday afternoon following a confrontation in the Mayfair neighborhood, sparking a tense standoff between investigators and the man’s grieving family, who say he was suffering from a mental health crisis.
Philadelphia Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Investigations Frank Vanore said the incident began around 2:30 p.m. following reports of a man attempting to enter homes on the 4100 block of Tyson Avenue. When officers located the individual on the 7000 block of Frankford Avenue, he allegedly fled on foot.
The pursuit concluded in front of a Mr. Storage facility, where a physical struggle ensued between the suspect and two responding officers. According to police, the altercation escalated until both officers discharged their weapons, fatally striking the man. Vanore confirmed that a knife was recovered at the scene, and witnesses reported hearing officers repeatedly command the man to drop a weapon before shots were fired.
While the investigation remains in its early stages, authorities have secured body-worn camera footage from the officers involved, as well as area surveillance recordings.
However, the family of the deceased vehemently disputes the police account, maintaining that the man was unarmed and in the midst of a documented mental health struggle. His aunt, Moico Boyd, stated that he had been recently discharged from Einstein Medical Center and that the family had been actively seeking professional help for him earlier in the week.
“This killing is because of mental illness,” Moico Boyd said.
The victim’s mother, Ebony Boyd, revealed that the family had been searching for her son throughout the day, claiming they had attempted to report him as missing to the police earlier on Friday but received no response. She eventually learned of the shooting after a bystander informed her that they had seen her son at the location.
“My son was innocent,” an emotional Ebony Boyd said, vowing to seek justice. “He should never have had to go down how he did.”
A cellphone video circulating on social media has become a focal point of the investigation. The footage appears to capture the moments leading up to the shooting, showing a scuffle between the man and officers. In the video, an object is visible in the man’s hand, which he appears to point toward police just moments before the officers open fire. Police have confirmed they are reviewing the footage as part of the formal investigation.
As the community grapples with the fallout of the shooting, Vanore acknowledged the complexity of the case. “We have a lot of work to do,” he said. Authorities have not yet released the names of the officers involved or the identity of the deceased.
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