City officials said that the postponement affords additional time for outreach teams and service providers to engage the encampment's residents, who number as many as 150. The ultimate goal is to offer housing and other social services.In a nearly last-minute decision that caught much of the city by surprise, Philadelphia officials postponed the closure of the homeless encampment on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that had been scheduled for Friday.Talks between the city and organizers of the five-week-old of 100 to 150 people had broken down last week, but were revived after Mayor Jim Kenney...…City officials said that the postponement affords additional time for outreach teams and service providers to engage the encampment's residents, who number as many as 150. The ultimate goal is to offer housing and other social services.In a nearly last-minute decision that caught much of the city by surprise, Philadelphia officials postponed the closure of the homeless encampment on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that had been scheduled for Friday.Talks between the city and organizers of the five-week-old of 100 to 150 people had broken down last week, but were revived after Mayor Jim Kenney...WW…

Johnson said a separate lawsuit would be filed against the city in federal court, alleging that inadequate police training and the failure to equip the officers with Tasers led to Wallace’s death.The family of Walter Wallace Jr., the West Philadelphia man whose fatal shooting by Philadelphia police in October set off days of protests and unrest in the city, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit Thursday against the two officers who killed him.The suit, filed in Common Pleas Court, accuses Officers Sean Matarazzo and Thomas Munz Jr. of using unreasonable force when they shot Wallace more than a...…Johnson said a separate lawsuit would be filed against the city in federal court, alleging that inadequate police training and the failure to equip the officers with Tasers led to Wallace’s death.The family of Walter Wallace Jr., the West Philadelphia man whose fatal shooting by Philadelphia police in October set off days of protests and unrest in the city, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit Thursday against the two officers who killed him.The suit, filed in Common Pleas Court, accuses Officers Sean Matarazzo and Thomas Munz Jr. of using unreasonable force when they shot Wallace more than a...WW…

Inspector James Smith was arrested Thursday for assaulting a man in his Northeast neighborhood. He will be fired as a result of the arrest.A Philadelphia police inspector was arrested Thursday, along with his brother, and accused of beating a man after falsely accusing him of breaking into cars in their Northeast neighborhood in August, authorities said.Inspector James Smith, 52, and his brother, Patrick Smith, 53, a former city police detective who retired shortly after the incident, were charged with simple assault, conspiracy, and recklessly endangering another person.Police Commissioner...…Inspector James Smith was arrested Thursday for assaulting a man in his Northeast neighborhood. He will be fired as a result of the arrest.A Philadelphia police inspector was arrested Thursday, along with his brother, and accused of beating a man after falsely accusing him of breaking into cars in their Northeast neighborhood in August, authorities said.Inspector James Smith, 52, and his brother, Patrick Smith, 53, a former city police detective who retired shortly after the incident, were charged with simple assault, conspiracy, and recklessly endangering another person.Police Commissioner...WW…

Police are on pace to make 3,000 arrests this year for carrying a gun illegally, a record, but the people charged are less likely to be convicted.One in an occasional series, about Philadelphia’s unchecked gun violence.As Philadelphia’s gun violence has surged to unprecedented heights, two troubling trends have quietly kept building:Thousands more people are being arrested for carrying guns illegally. But their chances of being convicted in court have fallen by nearly a quarter.That conundrum now drives a debate between the Philadelphia Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office...…Police are on pace to make 3,000 arrests this year for carrying a gun illegally, a record, but the people charged are less likely to be convicted.One in an occasional series, about Philadelphia’s unchecked gun violence.As Philadelphia’s gun violence has surged to unprecedented heights, two troubling trends have quietly kept building:Thousands more people are being arrested for carrying guns illegally. But their chances of being convicted in court have fallen by nearly a quarter.That conundrum now drives a debate between the Philadelphia Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office...WW…

Carjackings have spiked this year, as they did last year. Police are not sure why.Angelina Bellissima was parking her car around the corner from her home in South Philadelphia last week when she was jumped from behind by three women who kicked and punched her, doused her with pepper spray, and took off in her 2008 Honda CRV.Bellissima, 78, had just finished unloading some groceries around 4:30 p.m. and was stunned to be attacked in broad daylight.“I just started crying,” Bellissima recalled Tuesday. “I said, ‘Why me?’ I never thought this would happen.”There has been a surge in the number...…Carjackings have spiked this year, as they did last year. Police are not sure why.Angelina Bellissima was parking her car around the corner from her home in South Philadelphia last week when she was jumped from behind by three women who kicked and punched her, doused her with pepper spray, and took off in her 2008 Honda CRV.Bellissima, 78, had just finished unloading some groceries around 4:30 p.m. and was stunned to be attacked in broad daylight.“I just started crying,” Bellissima recalled Tuesday. “I said, ‘Why me?’ I never thought this would happen.”There has been a surge in the number...WW…

The City Controller's Office issued an investigative report showing that the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office cannot account for more than 200 guns it should have in its possession.The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office cannot account for more than 200 guns that are supposed to be in its custody, some of them part of the office’s arsenal and others confiscated from people subject to protection-from-abuse orders, according to an released Wednesday by the City Controller’s Office.The investigation found serious problems in the Sheriff’s Office with recordkeeping, a lack of policies and procedures for...…The City Controller's Office issued an investigative report showing that the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office cannot account for more than 200 guns it should have in its possession.The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office cannot account for more than 200 guns that are supposed to be in its custody, some of them part of the office’s arsenal and others confiscated from people subject to protection-from-abuse orders, according to an released Wednesday by the City Controller’s Office.The investigation found serious problems in the Sheriff’s Office with recordkeeping, a lack of policies and procedures for...WW…

Officers had responded to Walter Wallace Jr.'s home in West Philadelphia three times Monday for reports of disturbances, according to law enforcement sources.Police were called dozens of times in recent months about problems at Walter Wallace Jr.’s home, and had responded twice on Monday to reports of disturbances at the West Philadelphia house before two officers answered a third call and shot him as he approached them with a knife, according to law enforcement sources.What happened during those earlier visits — including which officers responded and how much they knew about Wallace’s...…Officers had responded to Walter Wallace Jr.'s home in West Philadelphia three times Monday for reports of disturbances, according to law enforcement sources.Police were called dozens of times in recent months about problems at Walter Wallace Jr.’s home, and had responded twice on Monday to reports of disturbances at the West Philadelphia house before two officers answered a third call and shot him as he approached them with a knife, according to law enforcement sources.What happened during those earlier visits — including which officers responded and how much they knew about Wallace’s...WW…

Officials vowed to protect the integrity of an election they see as threatened by Trump’s efforts to shake public confidence in how ballots are cast and counted.Philadelphia and Pennsylvania officials vowed Wednesday to prevent attempts to “suppress the vote," saying they would protect the integrity of they see as threatened by President Donald Trump’s efforts to .Calling Trump “a bad actor," state Attorney General Josh Shapiro implored the public to ignore the “noise” and make plans to vote, .“I will not let them interfere in any way, shape, or form with the will of the people. It will be...…Officials vowed to protect the integrity of an election they see as threatened by Trump’s efforts to shake public confidence in how ballots are cast and counted.Philadelphia and Pennsylvania officials vowed Wednesday to prevent attempts to “suppress the vote," saying they would protect the integrity of they see as threatened by President Donald Trump’s efforts to .Calling Trump “a bad actor," state Attorney General Josh Shapiro implored the public to ignore the “noise” and make plans to vote, .“I will not let them interfere in any way, shape, or form with the will of the people. It will be...WW…

Matthew Oropeza, who fatally punched a fellow dog walker in 2019, was sentenced Wednesday to 2 1/2 to five years in prison.The Point Breeze man who fatally punched another man while both were walking their dogs in a Southwark dog park in January 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to two to five years in state prison.Matthew Oropeza, 25, a misdemeanor, broke down while addressing Common Pleas Court Judge Glenn Bronson near the end of a two-hour hearing. Seventeen relatives and friends gave emotional victim-impact statements about the death of Drew Justice, 38.“I let the community down, I let this...…Matthew Oropeza, who fatally punched a fellow dog walker in 2019, was sentenced Wednesday to 2 1/2 to five years in prison.The Point Breeze man who fatally punched another man while both were walking their dogs in a Southwark dog park in January 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to two to five years in state prison.Matthew Oropeza, 25, a misdemeanor, broke down while addressing Common Pleas Court Judge Glenn Bronson near the end of a two-hour hearing. Seventeen relatives and friends gave emotional victim-impact statements about the death of Drew Justice, 38.“I let the community down, I let this...WW…