Philippe Holland

The 20-year-old pizza deliveryman who was shot several times last April by plain-clothes cops who thought he was trying to run them over near 51st and Willows in the Cedar Park neighborhood is suing the city.

The officers reportedly approached Philippe Holland, who had just finished a delivery, on the sidewalk with their guns drawn. They were searching for a suspect in an earlier shooting. Holland contends that 18th District officers Mitchell Farrell and Kevin Hanvey approached him as he was getting into his car and that he thought they were robbers. Farrell and Hanvey opened fire as he tried to drive away. Holland was struck in the head, neck and leg.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey apologized to Holland soon after the shooting. West Philly residents raised money for Holland’s medical expenses and more than 100 signed a petition asking that the results of the investigation be made public. It was hoped that the shooting might prompt more transparency in police shootings, which spiked in 2012 and prompted Ramsey to request a federal review of the department.

One result has been the posting of some information from officer-involved shootings online.

Here is what the posting on that site says about the Holland case:

PS#14-15

04/22/14 On Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at approximately 9:56 P.M., two on-duty officers in an unmarked vehicle and in civilian attire heard gunshots in the area of 51st street and Baltimore Avenue. While surveying the area, the officers observed a male walking south on 51st street toward Willows Avenue, with his hands inside his pockets. The officers identified themselves as police officers and ordered the male to stop. The offender opened and entered the front passenger door of a Ford Taurus that was parked in the 5100 block of Willows Avenue. The offender positioned himself in the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle initially in reverse, and then forward toward the officers. In response, both officers discharged their firearms, striking the offender. The offender was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for treatment. There were no other injuries as a result of this incident. No weapon was recovered.

– Mike Lyons

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and many of our readers will be looking for something to do with their special someones. Check our round up of some of local happenings and events this weekend, for kids and adults alike, and please don’t forget that we have some great restaurants and bars in our area (many of them will be having Valentine’s Day specials and treats tomorrow).

We’ll start with a few reminders.

A Valentine’s Day Dance Party/Fundraiser will be held at 8 Limbs Academy (4542 Baltimore Ave, 2nd floor) on Saturday, beginning at 9 p.m. and featuring 90’s dance jams, ice cream, doughnuts, minigolf, and 8 Limbs t-shirts for sale. Atom and His Package, Everything Sux and The Ramonas will perform. Suggested donation is $5-$15. For more information visit: www.8limbsacademy.com.

If you have any Curio Theatre preview show tickets, here’s a great chance to use them. Othello officially opens at the popular neighborhood theater next Friday, but preview shows are presented this week and early next week. There are preview shows this Friday and Saturday, at 8 p.m. For more information and to buy tickets, go here. And please get there on time – there is no late seating for this production.  Continue Reading

We’re very sad to report that a two-year-old boy was struck and killed by a SEPTA trolley this afternoon. The incident happened at around 1 p.m. at the intersection of 51st and Lancaster and the Route 10 trolley was involved, according to various reports. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy was reportedly with his family and ran in front of the trolley. Witnesses told police that the child’s family moved to the block just a few weeks ago.

SEPTA officials said that they’re also investigating the accident.

Police are investigating an armed robbery that took place on Sunday, Feb. 8 at approximately 7:50 p.m. on the 4100 block of Pine Street. The victim, a 23-year-old woman, told police that she was walking east on Pine Street when she heard a vehicle stop. She then felt a push from behind, and an unknown young male demanded that she empty her pockets. The woman told police that the man was armed with a small black revolver which he pointed at her head. She gave him her cell phone, and the man got back into his car, a dark colored vehicle, and fled.

No injuries were reported in this incident.

There was another robbery on the 4100 block of Pine less than two weeks ago, on January 31, at approximately 2:30 p.m. There was no weapon involved in that robbery, according to police. More details are currently not available.

UPDATE (9:55 p.m.): NBC Philadelphia is reporting that one person was hurt in the fire on the 4700 block of Cedar. His or her condition is currently unknown.

UPDATE (8:29 p.m.): The fire is under control. It appears that the fire heavily damaged the home’s interior. Neighbors say an elderly man lives alone in the home. He reportedly wasn’t home when the fire began. We’ll keep you updated.

8:05 p.m.: Fire crews are battling a fire at 4729 Cedar Avenue, a twin home. The fire broke out at approximately 7:30 p.m.

Photo by David Poplar.

The City of Philadelphia has found a sponsor to help lighten the cost of the bike share program set to begin this Spring. Independence Blue Cross will contribute $1.7 million a year for five years. For that they get to name the program – it’s called “Indego” – written on the chunky blue bikes and at the 60 docking stations across the city.

The stations are located from 2nd and Walnut west to 44th and Walnut and Temple University south to the Tasker. It looks like 13 of them will be on this side of the Schuylkill, including one at Clark Park. The stations will house about 600 bikes total. Built by Trek, the bikes have step-through frames, pedal-powered front and rear lights, baskets, three speeds, and adjustable seats.

There are a bunch of different ways to pay, including by-the-trip or a membership. Prices will be announced in March, according to the Indego website. There’s an FAQ here that addresses some other questions.

We’re still waiting on an exact launch date. We’ll keep you posted.

Here’s what the bikes look like:

Philly’s IndeGo bike share bike: pic.twitter.com/hgnMOmsRUF

— Bike Coalition Phila (@bcgp) February 11, 2015