Hard Wire

52 Arrested After Unrest

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Philadelphia was hit with chaos and destruction on Tuesday night after a massive group of looters ransacked businesses across the city. The Philadelphia Police Department reported that a total of 52 arrests had been made so far, with 49 adults and three juveniles in custody.

The mayhem began around 7:30 p.m. when numerous 911 calls stated that a large group, possibly as many as 100, was moving through Center City. Video footage obtained by Action News showed a group of people taking items out of a Foot Locker store on Chestnut Street. While multiple juveniles managed to escape, one adult was apprehended by the police.

The looting quickly spread to other stores in the area. At 8:12 p.m., officers responded to a call of looting at Lululemon on Walnut Street. With the help of the police, several individuals were apprehended and charged with looting. Just a few minutes later, at 8:18 p.m., a call reported looting at the Apple Store on the same street. Despite the quick response from the authorities, no arrests were made in connection with this incident. However, many stolen items, including phones and tablets, were later recovered.

The violence also extended beyond Center City. Lower Merion police were called in to assist at the corner of 52nd and Market streets where several stores were looted. Throughout the night, similar incidents were reported in different parts of the city, including the Rite Aid in Cobbs Creek and the Curaleaf store on City Avenue. Police also received reports of looting at JD Sports and T-Mobile on Roosevelt Boulevard.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board reported that 18 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores in Philadelphia were looted. As a result, all stores in the city, as well as one in Cheltenham Plaza, remained closed on Wednesday for employee safety and damage assessment.

When asked about the motive behind the violence, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said, "What we had tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists take advantage of a situation and make an attempt to destroy our city." He also stated that police will continue to make arrests until all those involved are brought to justice.

The chaos in Philadelphia is not believed to be related to an earlier protest over the fatal police shooting of Eddie Irizarry. However, authorities are still investigating the connection between the looters and whether they had a coordinated plan to target specific stores in the city.

Thankfully, no injuries have been reported as of yet. However, the damage to businesses and the community is far-reaching. As the city recovers from the events of Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Police Department is working diligently to bring those responsible to justice.

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