Philadelphia Chaos Escalates on Second Night as Looters Run Wild and Reporter Is Attacked
Looting and rioting erupted in Philadelphia late Tuesday in the second night of violence triggered by a police shooting of a black man armed with a knife.
Walter Wallace Jr. was killed by police officers Monday afternoon after they responded to a call of an individual with a knife, according to USA Today. The officers demanded that Wallace drop the knife. When he did not and moved toward them, they opened fire, hitting Wallace in the shoulder and chest. He later died of his wounds.
After initial violence Monday in the neighborhood where the shooting took place, the rioting and looting spread Tuesday, with police saying more than 1,000 people hit businesses in another section of Philadelphia.
Voices from the street showed the extent of the rampant looting and violence. Elijah Schaffer of TheBlaze was attacked while reporting from the scene.
The police completely lost control of the city. I’ve only seen this happen in Dallas immediately post George-Floyd & Kenosha. All terribly sad to witness.
No National Guard, police were standing down, barely enough officers to keep a single shopping center clear.
Seems planned https://t.co/gOgqz8sjpH
— ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) October 28, 2020
This work is incredibly dangerous. There’s a reason you don’t see mainstream media journalists on the ground. And of course leftist journalists won’t film. Show support for the videographers in Philadelphia tonight. https://t.co/WgeKTS2Ihj
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) October 28, 2020
PHILADELPHIA: This is the footage I was recording when BLM assaulted me.
Other journalists were filming but I was the only white person in the store
I do believe I was targeted for being white as they accused me of being a white supremacist
& did not attack people of color pic.twitter.com/Gji7uHq0gB
— ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) October 28, 2020
Just got chased by looters. Thankfully PPD Officers were a few blocks away. I’m done for tonight. #Philly pic.twitter.com/rRK4rXK70I
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) October 28, 2020
They were specifically targeting and attacking white people tonight in Philadelphia
It was clear, if you were white, you weren’t welcome
That’s why Antifa had their own demonstrations in a separate part of the city
Follow @realJamesKlug to show some support for his bravery https://t.co/rMEc0AV5ZO
— ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) October 28, 2020
Mass looting of @Walmart store in Philadelphia. This Walmart is just off I-95 in the city’s Port Richmond section at Castor&Aramingo Avenues where @phillypolice say “One thousand people looting stores now in this business area full of strip malls.” @fox29philly pic.twitter.com/b9BFfcc2oE
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 28, 2020
As the rioting spread, the Pennsylvania National Guard was called out to help bring peace to the city.
The father of the shooting victim also asked for calm.
“All this violence and looting. I don’t want to leave a bad scar on my son and my family with this looting and chaos stuff,” Walter Wallace Sr. said, according to CNN. “So I want my son’s name and everybody to stop this. Give my son a chance. And the family like we’re decent people.”
“Everybody to have respect for our family, to pray for us. Cut it out. The looting is a mindset and it won’t bring my son back. And it won’t, it will escalate things to get worse instead of better,” he said.
Wallace’s family has said he had mental health issues.
In the familiar pattern of a peaceful march slowly giving way to rioting, as Tuesday wore on, the police became the targets.
Rocks, light bulbs and bricks were thrown at officers.
In one instance, a rioter took an ax to the front of a police car.
Police urged residents to stay indoors.
*Alert* A large crowd of appx 1000 is looting businesses in the area of Castor and Aramingo. Avoid the area
— Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) October 28, 2020
“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,” a tweet from the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management said.
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. These areas are experiencing widespread demonstrations that have turned violent with looting.
— Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) October 28, 2020
“These areas are experiencing widespread demonstrations that have turned violent with looting.”
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