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Chaos in Philly: National Guard Deployed As 1,000 Looters Create Mayhem and Target Businesses

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  October 27, 2020 10:00 PM

Mayhem has engulfed Philadelphia. No, it’s not because of Dallas week. We had another officer-involved shooting that left a man dead after charging police with a knife. Walter Wallace Jr. was shot and killed on Monday. He reportedly suffered a mental break (via NBC Philadelphia):

A day after he was shot and killed by two police officers, sparking protests and a night of civil unrest in Philadelphia, family members of Walter Wallace Jr. are speaking out, describing him as a husband, father and aspiring musician who struggled with mental health issues. 

“Mental health is real,” Sam White, Wallace’s cousin, told NBC10. “Depression is real. That’s something that we have to look at as a society. How we engage and we interact when those happen. How the police respond when you deal with a crisis situation.”

On Monday Philadelphia police responded to reports of a person screaming as well as a report of a 27-year-old male assaulting an elderly female at a home on the 6100 block of Locust Street.

When officers arrived they found Wallace holding a knife, according to investigators. A viral video of the incident shows Wallace, a Black man, walking toward the officers while a woman, who a witness identified as Wallace's mother, tries to stop him. Two armed police officers back away from Wallace and tell him at least twice to "put the knife down" though it's unclear from the video whether or not Wallace is holding a knife.

This set off another wave of urban violence, rioting, and clashes with police erupting last night. The National Guard has been deployed, but chaos has already engulfed the city. Our own Julio Rosas is on the ground reporting on the rioting. Be sure to follow him.

Right now, some 1,000 looters are estimated to be targeting businesses in the city (via Fox News):

A second night of unrest in Philadelphia began Tuesday over the police shooting death of a Black man, just as his children recalled their memories of their father in front of reporters and 1,000 looters reportedly targeting businesses, police said.

[…]

Elsewhere in the city, looters ransacked a Foot Locker, Rite Aid and other retail stores. At least one vehicle was set on fire.

The Philadelphia Police Department warned people to avoid an area where at least 1,000 looters were ransacking businesses in the Port Richmond area that includes a Burlington Coat Factory, Target and Dollar General.

We’ll keep you updated.