One of the Philadelphia police officers involved in the deadly shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. died in an off-duty motorcycle crash in South Philadelphia Tuesday night.
Philadelphia police said that Officer Thomas Munz Jr., a 27-year-old who had served four years on the force, died Tuesday night when his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle collided with a Chevy Equinox along South Broad Street near the Eagles' NovaCare Complex.
The crash remained under investigation. No charges have been filed as of midday Wednesday.
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Munz, who was assigned to the 18th District, was one of two officers who shot and killed Walter Wallace Jr. in October 2020, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Roh said. The deadly shooting of the Black man was caught on camera.
The officers were called to Wallace's family's West Philadelphia home on Oct. 26, 2020 after receiving 911 calls for a person in mental distress.
Munz and fellow 18th District officer Sean Matarazzo were seen on police body camera footage and other video with their guns drawn ordering Wallace to drop a knife. Video shows Wallace stepping toward Munz and Matarazzo, who then fire their weapons.
Munz was never charged in that shooting, the DA's office said.
No funeral info has been made available for Munz.
Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 spokesman Mike Neilon tweeted condolences to Munz's family, friends and colleagues. "Very sad day for the dept."
