Philadelphia officer fired after abandoning hit-and-run victim Eugene Beauford in street

A Philadelphia police officer faces dismissal after leaving 48-year-old Eugene Beauford in the road, where he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.

Philadelphia officer to be dismissed after fatally abandoning Olney crash victim

A Philadelphia police officer will be fired following his failure to protect 48-year-old Eugene Beauford, who was struck and killed by a vehicle after the officer left him lying in the street, 6abc.com reports.

Commissioner Kevin Bethel announced Monday that the officer — a two-year member of the force whose name has not been released — has been suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss. "I can't train compassion. I can't train empathy," Bethel said.

The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. on Thursday, 27 August, on the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue in the city's Olney section. Video footage shows the officer stopping his patrol vehicle to block the intersection after Beauford had stumbled and fallen. The officer appeared to speak to Beauford and nudged him with his foot before returning to his vehicle and driving away — leaving Beauford lying in the road.

Less than five minutes later, a green Kia swerved into the bike lane to overtake another vehicle and struck Beauford. He later died from his injuries.

Bethel said investigators have not established why Beauford fell, but were unequivocal that the officer's departure was unjustifiable. "There was no job that would have pulled you away to leave someone laying out in the street to allow them to get run over," he said.

The same officer was the first to respond when a call came in to the scene — minutes after he had left. Police said he again did not render aid and never filed a police report. The department only became aware of his involvement after the medical examiner's office made contact. A subsequent investigation into the circumstances of Beauford's death exposed the officer's actions.

"We live by a code of ethics, and we have to be driven by that each and every day if we want to do this job properly," Bethel said. "I felt disgusted."

Beauford's sister issued a statement to Action News: "No justice. No peace. No one should be left in the street. Justice for Eugene Beauford."

No charges have been filed against either the officer or the Kia's driver. The decision on whether to prosecute rests with the district attorney. Police say the green Kia has been recovered and its driver located.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)