The Philadelphia Police Department urged residents in seven city districts to remain indoors Tuesday night as widespread looting was reported throughout the city.
City officials said they were experiencing “widespread” protests on the second night of citywide demonstrations spurred on by the fatal shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. by law enforcement on Monday.
“The Philadelphia Police Department is requesting that all residents in the 12, 16, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26th Districts remain indoors except when necessary,” read a tweet from the city’s emergency messaging department. “These areas are experiencing widespread demonstrations that have turned violent with looting.”
The BLM crowd marched as close as they could to the Philadelphia Police 18th District. Police in riot gear stopped them from getting closer. pic.twitter.com/Rlw5QX0ZEk
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) October 28, 2020
Julio Rosas, a Townhall reporter formerly of the Washington Examiner, shared video of a throng of Black Lives Matter protesters who came within a couple blocks of the city police’s 18th Precinct before they were stopped by a group of riot police.
Video of law enforcement shooting 27-year-old Wallace Jr., who walked toward two officers who were telling him to drop a knife, circulated on Twitter on Monday and set off a night of looting throughout the city. The officers, who police said did not have Tasers, fired at least 14 rounds. Wallace was shot in the shoulder and chest, police said, and afterward was driven to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
On Tuesday, Rodney Everett, Wallace’s uncle, criticized rioters in the city who used his nephew’s death as an opportunity to steal and destroy.
“I do not want to see my city tore down. We don’t need that. You’re not resolving anything for our family. Don’t do this in the name of my nephew because this is not what he would’ve wanted,” Everett said.
JUST NOW:
Walmart looted in northern Philly pic.twitter.com/r54EY6Q5tC
— Richie?McG? (@RichieMcGinniss) October 28, 2020
At least 30 police officers were injured during the unrest Monday evening.
Early Tuesday evening, city police warned residents that “a large crowd of appx 1000” people were “looting businesses” in the city’s Port Richmond area.
Daily Caller reporter Shelby Talcott posted video of a department store being looted and later shared images of Blaze reporter Elijah Schaffer who was attacked while filming the incident.
Mass looting across the river and @ElijahSchaffer just got beaten up for filming. This is inside the Five Below store. Police are in the same parking lot near the Walmart, but there seem to be too many looters pic.twitter.com/CZeIiMokJa
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 28, 2020
At the request of the city of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania National Guard said it was scrambling several hundred members to assist in putting down the riots.
“Assisting civil authorities during times of need is one of the core missions of the Guard,” read a statement released by the Pennsylvania National Guard. “Members are well-trained and well-prepared to assist the commonwealth and its communities in any way they can.”
