Man slain by police was wanted

A Germantown man who was fatally shot by police when he allegedly charged them with a machete was wanted on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court to answer charges of driving under the influence, simple assault and resisting arrest.

Police said the shooting occurred after officers tried to pull over Curtis M. Dixon, 24, for making an illegal turn on Chelten Avenue about 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Several times Dixon slowed down as if to stop and then sped up as officers followed him to a food market at Sixth and Berks Street in North Philadelphia, police said.

Dixon waved an 18-inch machete out the driver's window just before pulling into the market's lot, then jumped out of the car and ran with the machete, authorities said.

Officers were chasing Dixon when he suddenly turned and charged at them, said Capt. Benjamin Naish, the Police Department's spokesman. Four officers fired, hitting Dixon multiple times.

Dixon, of the 6300 block of Cherokee Street, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he died at 6:29 p.m., Naish said.

He was the fourth person fatally wounded by police in a confrontation this year. Two other men have killed themselves after they fired at police and officers returned fire.

Court records show that Dixon was arrested Dec. 15 and charged with driving under the influence, simple assault, and resisting arrest. Details were not immediately available.

He was released after posting 10 percent of $2,000 bail, and a judge issued a bench warrant when he failed to appear for a hearing Dec. 22.

The officers who fired at Dixon have been placed on administrative duty while Internal Affairs investigates, which is standard procedure. Their names were not released under department policy.