A lawyer for the family of a North Philadelphia man killed Sunday in a confrontation with police described responding officers’ actions as “false heroics” yesterday.
“Instead of waiting for trained backup, including an officer who arrived minutes later with a Taser, Officer [Richard] Nicoletti decided to be a cowboy,” Attorney Richard Shore said in a statement.
Officer Matthew McCarthy shot Carmelo Winans twice in the family’s kitchen after Winans allegedly got into a tussle with Nicoletti, whose own handgun shot the officer in his chest.
Police were called to the 1700 block of North Third Street at 3 p.m. because Winans was experiencing “emotional problems.” Protocol requires officers to call for an officer trained in critical incidents with a Taser. Police said a CIT-trained officer was en route, but the officers had to act quickly.
“It’s just a lot of questions that need to be clarified as we move forward,” said William Johnson of the Police Advisory Commission.
