A 26-year-old man was fatally shot by two Philadelphia police officers Friday afternoon after officers responded to reports of someone trying to enter homes in the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia.
The incident began shortly before 2:30 p.m. in the area of the 4100 block of Tyson Avenue, where police received reports of a man attempting to get into residences. Officers later located the man near the 7000 block of Frankford Avenue, but he ran when they tried to stop him.
Police said the ensuing chase ended near a business on Frankford Avenue, where the man became involved in a physical confrontation with two officers. During the struggle, both officers fired their weapons, striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members later identified him as 26-year-old Jamir Cave.
Police said a knife was recovered near Cave after the shooting. Witnesses also reported hearing officers repeatedly order him to drop a knife before gunfire erupted.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain under investigation. Both officers had their body-worn cameras activated, and investigators are expected to review that footage along with surveillance video from the area. The officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative duty while the investigation continues.
Cave’s family disputes police account
Cave’s relatives have challenged the police account of what happened before the shooting.
His aunt, Moico Boyd, said Cave had recently been released from Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital and that the family had been trying to get him medical help earlier in the week. Relatives said they believed Cave was experiencing mental health difficulties.
The family also disputed that Cave was armed.
Relatives said Cave had been missing and that family members were looking for him on Friday. They told local media that they had attempted to report him missing before learning that a large police presence had gathered in the area.
Those claims have not been resolved by investigators, and police have not publicly confirmed the family’s account of how Cave came to be in the area.
Witness video is part of the investigation
Cellphone video recorded by a witness appears to capture part of the encounter between Cave and the officers. Police have confirmed that the video is being considered as part of the investigation.
The footage appears to show a struggle shortly before the officers fired. Police said a knife was recovered at the scene, while Cave’s relatives maintain that he was not armed.
Because the investigation is still in its early stages, officials have not released a complete account of the moments immediately leading up to the shooting.
Investigators will review the officers’ body-camera footage, witness video and other available surveillance as they work to establish the sequence of events.
No officers or bystanders were reported injured in the shooting.
The investigation remains active, and additional details are expected as authorities review the available video and other evidence.
