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Crime Watch

Six people shot during basketball game near 49th and Kingsessing

August 23, 2011

crimeSix people were shot during halftime of a basketball league playoff game last night at the courts near the Kingesessing Recreation Center near 49th and Kingsessing at about 8:50 p.m.last night.

Police said some 500 people crowded around the courts during the game, including two police officers.

“All of a sudden they just heard gun shots,” said police spokesperson Christine O’Brien.

The game was part of the city-run Eggy Taylor and Pick Brown League.

Four men ranging in ages from 18-23 and a 20-year-old woman were shot in the legs, police said. One 19-year-old man was shot in the stomach. None of the injuries were life threatening, police said. A recreation official told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the victims were innocent bystanders.

The shooter was described as a black male, 22-24 years old with a dark complexion. He is about 5 feet, nine inches tall and was wearing a red and black baseball cap, a white t-shirt and black jeans.


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Man involved in police altercation faces several charges

August 22, 2011

crimeThe 22-year-old legally blind man who was involved in a scuffle with police Friday near 46th and Walnut has been charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, wrecklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Witnesses say that police used excessive force to subdue Darrell Holloway after he and two other men were stopped at about 9:30 p.m. A bystander was also charged in the melee, which sent Holloway and two police officers to the hospital.

Police stopped Holloway, who had no criminal record, and the other men for a “narcotics investigation” and Holloway soon began to “punch the officers in the face and body,” according to a police report. The Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that Holloway was “known” to police officers.

Witnesses say several officers struck Holloway with batons and flashlights. In a shaky cell phone video of the incident, bystanders can be heard shouting to police that Holloway was blind.

Holloway, who lives on the 5600 block of Pemberton Street, lost his vision four years ago after he was shot in the face, his family told the Daily News.

Holloway was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and later released. Two officers were hospitalized as well.

A 20-year-old woman, Nicole Boyd, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime after she allegedly threw a flower pot at police from a second floor balcony.

Holloway and Boyd were released after posting bail. Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Sept. 6. Police would not say if an Internal Affairs investigation has been initiated.

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Traffic stop turns ugly at 46th and Walnut, excessive police force alleged

August 20, 2011

Residents are still trying to sort what happened at the corner of 46th and Walnut last night at 9 p.m. when as many as 20 police cars responded to a vehicle stop. Witnesses allege that police used excessive force on a 21-year-old man who they say was partially blind. That man and two police officers were hospitalized, according to a report in the Philadelphia Daily News.

The Daily News reports that people began throwing bottles and flower pots at police from nearby windows and balconies. One bottle reportedly struck a police officer in the eye.

Both the police officers and Holloway were reported to be in stable condition this morning.

We are trying to get more information on this story and we will post it when we do.

Below is a video recorded on a mobile phone. The visuals are unclear, but the audio is clear and includes expletives.

 

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Monthly meeting with the police tomorrow

August 17, 2011

Neighbors are welcome to share their concerns about crime and other neighborhood issues at a community meeting with Lt. Brian McBride and Sgt. Ron Washington of the University City section of the 18th Police District. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. tomorrow, August 18, at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore Ave.).

Meetings with McBride are held on the third Thursday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the large classroom on the lower level.

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Police searching for boy who disappeared from Malcolm X Park. UPDATE: The boy found sleeping on school bus

August 15, 2011

karyim
Photo of Karyim Muhammad from ABC6.

UPDATE (Aug 16) : The boy was found sleeping inside a school bus around 3:30 a.m. He was later reunited with his parents. Police believe he had wandered onto the bus from the playground when no one was looking.

 

Police say a 5-year-old boy went missing this afternoon from a camp at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine Streets). One witness told police that he saw a man dragging the boy down 53rd Street at about 5:30 p.m., ABC6 is reporting.

The boy, Karyim Muhammad, was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt, dark jeans and black shoes. Police are checking surveillance videotape from the area.

Anyone with information on Karyim should contact Southwest Detectives at 215-686-3184 or call 9-1-1.

 

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Curfew doesn’t help assault victim, but police do

August 15, 2011

crimePhiladelphia’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.

 

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