Crews remove box covering Columbus statue in Philadelphia
Crews have removed the plywood box that had been placed over a Philadelphia statue of Christopher Columbus that saw tense standoffs in 2020 between supporters of the monument and opponents who viewed it as a symbol of white supremacy. The box was removed Sunday night, as a small crowd of statue supporters cheered. The work came two days after a state judge ordered the box's removal, saying that if the city disagrees with the “message” the statue sends, it can add its own plaque with what it wants to convey.
news.yahoo.comPhiladelphia ordered to remove box covering Columbus statue
Philadelphia must remove the plywood box it placed over a statue of Christopher Columbus after 2020 protests over racial injustice, a judge ruled Friday. In her ruling, Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt said that if the city disagrees with the “message” the statue sends, it can add its own plaque with what it wants to convey. Kevin Lessard, spokesman for Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney, said the ruling disappointed officials but the city will respect the judge's decision and remove the box as soon as it’s “practically and logistically feasible.”
news.yahoo.comPolice search for 5 shooters in high school football ambush
Authorities have publicly identified the 14-year-old killed in a shooting that also wounded four other teens as they walked away from a Philadelphia high school athletic field after a football scrimmage, saying they believe he was not the intended target of the shooting.
Authorities say July 4 parade shooting suspect had 2 contacts with police in 2019
In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesperson Chris Covelli said that the suspect in the shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., Robert “Bobby” Crimo III, had two previous contacts with the police, both of which were in 2019.
news.yahoo.comPhiladelphia mayor on gun violence: ‘I’m waiting for something bad to happen all the time’
In response to the shooting of two police officers on July 4, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney conveyed deep frustration with gun laws and his inability as mayor to protect his constituents from violence. "If I had the ability to take care of guns, I would. But the Legislature won't let us. The U.S. Congress won't let us. The governor does the best he can. Our attorney general does the best he can. But this is a gun country. It's crazy,” said Kenney. “I'm waiting for something bad to happen all the time. So, I'll be happy when I'm not here, when I'm not the mayor, and I can enjoy things again,” he added.
news.yahoo.comWhite House convenes mayors to discuss strategies on crime
The Biden administration has convened the first meeting of its community violence intervention collaborative, a group of mayors and administration officials that will share best practices and work closely with the federal government to reduce gun violence.
Philadelphia now says MOVE victims' remains weren't cremated
A day after Philadelphia’s health commissioner was forced to resign over the cremation of partial remains belonging to victims of a 1985 bombing of the headquarters of a Black organization, the city now says those remains were never actually destroyed.
Philadelphia now says MOVE victims' remains weren't cremated
A day after Philadelphia's health commissioner was forced to resign over the cremation of partial remains belonging to victims of a 1985 bombing of the headquarters of a Black organization, the city now says those remains were never actually destroyed. Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement late Friday saying that the remains of MOVE bombing victims thought to have been cremated in 2017, under orders from Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, were located at the medical examiner's office that afternoon. “I am relieved that these remains were found and not destroyed, however I am also very sorry for the needless pain that this ordeal has caused the Africa family,” Kenney said, adding that “many unanswered questions” surround the case — including why Farley's order wasn't obeyed.
news.yahoo.comPhilly health official forced to resign over MOVE cremations
Philadelphia's top health official was compelled to resign Thursday after the city's mayor learned partial human remains from the 1985 bombing of the headquarters of a Black organization had been cremated and disposed of without notifying family members. Mayor Jim Kenney said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley made the decision regarding remains of the MOVE bombing victims several years ago. The announcement of Farley's ouster came by design on the 36th anniversary of the MOVE bombing, after Kenney consulted victims' family members.
news.yahoo.comPhiladelphia mayor blasts double standard in policing of Black and White protesters
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, reacting to the violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, drew a stark contrast between how government and police respond to demonstrations held by Black protesters and White protesters. Those demonstrations against police brutality often included standoffs with riot police, the presence of U.S. National Guard members and counter-protesters. In one incident in June, armed members of the D.C. National Guard wearing camouflage were staged at the Lincoln Memorial during a peaceful protest against police brutality. Mike Theiler | ReutersRioters had already occupied the Capitol building, delaying the electoral count for hours, before D.C. National Guard was sent to help secure the campus. US President Donald Trumps supporters gather outside the Capitol building in Washington D.C., United States on January 06, 2021.
cnbc.comReport on Philadelphia police protest response finds flaws
The 110-page report released Wednesday, Dec. 23, was commissioned by Mayor Jim Kenney as an independent review of operations during the protests. The 110-page report released Wednesday by the research group CNA and the law firm Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP was commissioned by Mayor Jim Kenney as an independent review of police operations during the protests. The city faced criticism for its police response including several interactions between officers and protesters that were recorded by witnesses and posted on social media. Other officers misused tear gas and pepper spray projectiles among other issues, the report said. A handful of key vacancies noted in the report have been filled, department officials said.
Philadelphia officials offer COVID-19 update as cases keep rising
Philadelphia officials offer COVID-19 update as cases keep rising Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley gave a COVID-19 update Tuesday as Pennsylvania is seeing a spike in both reported coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Watch their remarks.
cbsnews.comPhiladelphia officials warn residents to "remain vigilant" as holidays approach
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley gave an a COVID-19 update Tuesday as Pennsylvania is seeing a spike in both reported coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Farley said the city on Monday had recorded 52 deaths due to the coronavirus. While that data is delayed, he explained, it's still a big increase over the 10 deaths per week the city was seeing in September. The city also saw 1,408 coronavirus cases among residents per data from Monday, for a total of 75,458 since the start of the pandemic. "I mention this not to focus on myself, but to remind everyone the virus is here and we must remain vigilant," said Kenney.
cbsnews.comUS appeals court weighs law on supervised injection sites
FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2019 file photo, Wilfredo Carrasquillo, center, and other protesters demonstrate in support of a proposed supervised injection site, outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. A federal appeals court became the latest panel to wrestle with the nations opioid epidemic as judges reviewed a plan Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, to open a medically supervised injection site in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)PHILADELPHIA – A federal appeals court became the latest panel to wrestle with the nation’s opioid epidemic as judges reviewed a long-debated plan Monday to open a medically supervised injection site in Philadelphia. Under the Safehouse plan, people could bring drugs to the clinic-like setting, use them in a partitioned bay and get medical help if they overdose. “Safehouse is inviting scores of people to come into one place … to inject themselves with heroin or fentanyl or whatever,” he said.
81 people arrested in Philadelphia on second night of unrest over fatal police shooting
Philadelphia officials on Wednesday said 81 people were arrested during the widespread unrest on Tuesday night sparked by the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. Protesters faced off with police at department headquarters on Tuesday night, where officers were stationed with riot shields. Meanwhile, video showed people streaming into stores and stealing goods on the opposite side of the city from where Wallace was shot. Police commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters that of the 81 people arrested, 53 were arrested for burglary, eight were arrested for assaulting officers, and small numbers of others were arrested for crimes including arson, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. Wallace's family said they called an ambulance to get him help during a mental health crisis and did not ask for police, the Associated Press reported.
cbsnews.comPhiladelphia victim's family sought ambulance, not police
PHILADELPHIA – The family of a Black man killed by Philadelphia police officers in a shooting caught on video had called for an ambulance to get him help with a mental health crisis, not for police intervention, their lawyer said Tuesday. Police said Walter Wallace Jr., 27, was wielding a knife and ignored orders to drop the weapon before officers fired shots Monday afternoon. About 500 people had gathered at a West Philadelphia park Tuesday night and began marching through the neighborhood, chanting. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management tweeted around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, cautioning residents in eastern Philadelphia to remain indoors. Police had previously said 30 officers were injured in the Monday night unrest, most of them hit with thrown objects like bricks.
Lack of study and oversight raises concerns about tear gas
FILE - In this July 26, 2020, file photo, federal officers launch tear gas at demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore. The Associated Press found that there is no government oversight of the manufacture and use of tear gas. Instead, the industry is left to regulate itself. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
Lack of study and oversight raises concerns about tear gas
The Associated Press found that there is no government oversight of the manufacture and use of tear gas. Eells has taught tear gas use with a Colorado police department and with Defense Technology, a tear gas manufacturer. They tried to run through the clouds of tear gas, which is actually a powder that hangs in the air. Thirteen U.S. senators, concerned about federal officers using tear gas, rubber bullets, and other so-called less-lethal weapons, have called on the Government Accountability Office to study the use and safety of tear gas. “We’re trapped in tear gas.”After the incident, the Charlotte City Council banned the purchase of tear gas for a year.
Police disciplinary records are largely kept secret in US
Daniel Pantaleo, the New York City officer who seized Eric Garner in a deadly chokehold, had eight. Both Democratic and Republican reform bills in Congress would make officers' disciplinary records public and create a national database of allegations a shift in political will that didn't exist just a few years ago. New York legislators this week voted to repeal the law that kept officers' names secret along with specifics about complaints made against them. Chris Dunn, legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, rejected the notion, advanced largely by Republicans, that police disciplinary records should be kept private like medical information. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and Mayor Jim Kenney pledged this week to publish a detailed quarterly report on complaints against city officers.
A look back, and follow-up, on coronavirus good-deed tales
Nearly three months later, there's been no end to the tales of good deeds we've found. Nearly three months later, theres been no end to the tales of good deeds weve found. I think now ... we could all use a little more kindness in our lives, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says. ___While nonstop news about the effects of the coronavirus has become commonplace, so, too, have tales of kindness. One Good Thing is a series of AP stories focusing on glimmers of joy and benevolence in a dark time.
Toddler killed, baby wounded in Philadelphia shootings
Kat Wilcox/Pexels(CNN) - A 2-year-old girl was fatally shot in the back of the head and an 11-month-old is in critical condition after two separate shootings in Philadelphia this weekend. 'We can't protect our children'There have been more than 270 homicide victims in the city of Philadelphia this year, according to statistics by Philadelphia police. The representative said she is hopeful legislators will "be doing something very shortly" in terms of gun violence in Philadelphia. Another state representative weighed in on Twitter. "Two babies were shot this weekend in Philadelphia," Rep. Jordan A. Harris said in a Sunday night tweet.
Philadelphia police commissioner resigns
CNN video(CNN) - One week after calling him "the best police commissioner in America," Philadelphia's mayor announced that Richard Ross Jr. is resigning. Ross, the city of Philadelphia and others are named in a lawsuit filed Friday by two female Philadelphia Police officers. John McNesby, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, told the Philadelphia Inquirer the city is forcing Ross out. Kennedy named Christine M. Coulter, deputy police commissioner, as acting commissioner while the city searches for a replacement for Ross. Last Thursday, after a man shot six Philadelphia police officers and caused a hours-long standoff, Kenney introduced Ross as "the best police commissioner in America."
Philadelphia mayor says officers need help with gun control
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called out the NRA and demanded a resolution to the nation's gun crisis, saying officers need help keeping numerous weapons out of criminals' hands. Kenney spoke at a news conference as an hourslong shooting standoff that left six officers injured was underway at a home in North Philadelphia. "Our officers deserve to be protected and they don't deserve to be shot at by a guy for hours with an unlimited supply of weapons and an unlimited supply of bullets. Kenney demanded action against the NRA, saying if the state and federal government won't stand up to the powerful gun rights lobby, they should let them police themselves. Officers are at risk when they come in contact with criminals armed with numerous guns, he said, and they need help to ensure they go home to their families.
5 injured in Philadelphia shooting one day after violent standoff
Police said five people were injured in a shooting Thursday in Philadelphia. The shooting comes just one day after six police officers were shot while serving a narcotics warrant and a seven-hour standoff with the suspect followed. Police said all five victims were taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, CBS Philadelphia reported. Earlier Thursday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and other politicians from Pennsylvania called for more gun-control measures. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner identified the suspect in Wednesday's shooting and standoff as 36-year-old Maurice Hill.
cbsnews.com13 Philadelphia police officers to be fired over racist Facebook posts
Philadelphia Thirteen Philadelphia police officers will be fired over racist or offensive Facebook posts. "I continue to be very angered and disappointed by these posts," said Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who was visibly upset during the announcement. The Facebook posts, made by more than 300 active officers, contained derogatory, racist, and misogynistic comments. This is the latest fallout to come from the Plain View Project, an independent examination of thousands of Facebook posts by officers in eight cities. Some officers in those other cities have been suspended as well.
cbsnews.comPhiladelphia Energy Solutions seeks to permanently shut oil refinery
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) will seek to permanently shut its oil refinery in the city after a massive fire caused substantial damage to the complex, the mayor confirmed on Wednesday, a day after two sources told Reuters about the plans. I spoke with the CEO and leadership of Philadelphia Energy Solutions this morning and can confirm that PES intends to shut down the refinery within the next month, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. The refinery is expected to begin layoffs of 700 union workers as early as Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the plans. A spokesperson for Philadelphia Energy Solutions on Tuesday night declined to comment. FILE PHOTO: A massive fire burns at Philadelphia Energy Solutions Inc's oil refinery in this still image from video in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. June 21, 2019.WCAU-TV/NBC via REUTERSBefore the fire, the refinery had struggled financially for years, forced to slash worker benefits and scale back capital projects to save cash.
feeds.reuters.com