Philadelphia’s new weekend curfew didn’t help a West Philly man who was attacked by a group of teenagers early Saturday morning near 47th and Walnut. Luckily, plainclothes police were able to help, catching all four teens before they could injure the man badly.
Police said four youths ages 14-15 ran up behind the man at about 12:40 a.m. and punched him. When he fell to the ground they surrounded him and demanded his belongings. Plainclothes officers from the University City substation were on the scene quickly and chased the youths down. All four face charges of attempted robbery, simple assault, wreckless endangerment and criminal conspiracy.
The officers had noticed the group of teens walking around the area earlier in the evening. But the group stayed clear of the West Philly section of the new curfew zone, which runs from 38th to 43rd, Market to Baltimore. The City implemented the 9 p.m. curfew in Center City and West Philly for youths under 18 following several beatings in Center City last month.
August 15th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Nice work by the PPD, though it’s really discouraging to see the obvious limits of the curfew. All these kids have to do is wander around another area of the city (their own neighborhood, for instance) and find victims.
August 15th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
That same night, around 11:00 pm, we saw someone being arrested, and then police searching for a gun in the front yards on S. 48th btwn Springfield and Chester. Surely unrelated, but busy night.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
I live on the 200 block of 47th and the corner of 47th and Walnut is bad news. There is police activity almost every weekend and I certainly don’t feel safe walking there, even far earlier than this incident occurred.
I’m increasingly worried with the closure of West Philly high school plus the demolition a block further west that this area will suffer.
August 16th, 2011 at 6:28 am
I’m glad this story ended well. But I’m not sure why the curfew ends at 43rd street when there have been so many incidents recently in the area just a few blocks west.
August 16th, 2011 at 8:25 am
I was wondering the same thing as Mike! The flash mobs are obviously an intermittent problem, but West Philly has problems EVERY day… I don’t leave my house after dusk.
August 16th, 2011 at 8:30 am
Didi, agreed–the Breslyn apartments and the Chinese restaurant across the street are problem spots. I hope the school district (or who are we kidding, Jannie Blackwell) finds something useful to do with the West Philly HS building. Otherwise, it’s going to end up like Thomas Edison HS did earlier this month–abandoned for years until somebody torches the place.
August 17th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
I wonder whether these attacks will prompt more people to begin arming themselves.
I abhor gun fetishists, so the fact that I feel tempted to buy a gun really says something.
Rather than get a gun, I’m going to avoid going out after 9 p.m., and particularly, avoid going west of 45th or 46th streets. Any group of black teenagers, however small, spells danger.
The sad thing is that these kids seem intent on throwing their lives away on such stupidity and evil.
August 17th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
I hear all of you who commented on this post that crime is an issue in our neighborhood and we all want to be safe. But making blanket statements like “any group of black teenagers, however small, spells danger” is not a just or appropriate reaction nor is it helpful to any real concerns folks are having about their own safety. This blog is a huge gift we have to talk to our neighbors about what’s going on in West Philadelphia – lets not use it for hate speech or to make any of our neighbors feel unwelcome.
August 18th, 2011 at 9:48 am
Silly Tim, there are plenty of opportunities to get mugged east of 45th St. Check spotcrime.com
Seems your only choice is to never leave you house which honestly doesn’t sound like that big of a loss for everyone else.
August 18th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Anna, thank you the Web site reference and for the suggestion.
August 19th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
While I don’t agree with it, many people in Philadelphia share Tim’s fear of black kids. I’m not convinced that this viewpoint should be excluded from the discussion simply because it’s racist. I think it’s worthwhile to listen to all perspectives in our community, even if we don’t agree with them. And yes, some “perspectives” can cross the line into bigotry or hate speech (which should be excluded) but I don’t think that’s the case here. Again, I don’t agree with Tim’s statement, but I think this is an appropriate venue in which to voice it.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
There is already a venue for expressing fear of black kids and advocacy of firearms. It is called philly.com.*
*And, to gratuitously establish my liberal bona fides, I say this, and semi-good-naturedly rib Tim, as someone who was jumped and beaten about the head by four black adolescents at 2 in the afternoon at 44th and Spruce a couple of summers ago.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Stephanie, thanks. I should have phrased my concerns and fears in a less incendiary way. I appreciate your giving me the benefit of the doubt.
What I should have said is that whenever I encounter even a small group of young black males, especially at night, it will be difficult not to be concerned about my safety and to try at least to evade them. I would not have thought so before this recent rash of attacks. It makes me angry and sad to have to feel unsafe in this neighborhood (Spruce Hill). I’ve lived here for more than 8 years. I’m not a hater. I work in a job that serves immigrants and most of my clients are Africans. What I do hate is violence, whatever the source. This violence seems to be caused by some kind of pathology. Its symptoms need to be stopped, and then it needs to be healed. Peace out.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
P.S. Charles, please stop stalking me. (Rib, rib.)