Philadelphia Police Officers Hit With Bricks, Molotov Cocktails, Vehicles Set On Fire As Looters Strike Across City
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia officials say police officers were hit with bricks and Molotov cocktails in West Philadelphia Sunday as violence took hold of the city for a second straight day. Several police vehicles were vandalized, looted and set on fire in the area of 52nd and Market Streets.
"In the area of 52nd and Market alone, we had five officers injured, four police vehicles were burned and officers were hit with bricks, rocks and Molotov cocktails," Philadelphia Managing Director Brian Abernathy said.
Police sources tell CBS3 officers were woefully unprepared for the continuous waves of violence. Police do not normally talk about staffing for safety reasons, but sources tell CBS3 it is now an all-hands-on-deck scenario in the city.
Philadelphia police say 137 people have been arrested since noon Sunday, including 91 for code violation notices and 43 for looting.
The National Guard is now expected as Philadelphia is in critical condition. The number of injured officers is on the rise.
A police spokesperson said late Sunday night, they were working to identify those arrested and reveal where they're from.
Further authorization to release the information would have to come from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, he said.
Chopper 3 was over the scene around 4 p.m., where a group of protesters could be seen smashing the windows of several police vehicles and grabbing objects from inside.
Eventually, protesters set fire to at least two of the vehicles.
Firefighters quickly arrived to the scene to fight the blaze.
Multiple stores along the iconic business district in and around Market and Chestnut Streets were looted Sunday.
A source tells CBS3 the plan was to raid the nearby Foot Locker on Market Street at 3 p.m. but police got wind of the plan and manned the streets.
By 3 p.m., Mayor Jim Kenney ordered every business to shut down, but not many stopped looting.
By 4 p.m., police declared an unlawful assembly in the area, putting anyone at risk of immediate arrest if they remained on the street.
Before 5 p.m., tear gas was deployed as police tried to disperse the angry crowd.
In a Facebook Live, City Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson begged people to go home.
"Please, we don't want anyone to be hurt out here. We want everybody to be safe. I'm frustrated too," Richardson said. "As the mother of a black boy and wife of a black man. Please, please be safe. We need y'all to go home."
Later in the evening, a fire broke out at a Rite Aid at 63rd & Race Streets in West Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, a peaceful protest took place outside of police headquarters in Center City Sunday. Chopper 3 was over the scene just before 5 p.m. where police stood guard along a barrier as protesters demonstrated.
"People are angry. People are angry with the racial discrimination going on in this country. It's been going on a long time. It happens in the workplace, it happens with neighbors, it happens when you walk in the store and people are angry," protester Victor Torres said.
Chopper 3 was over the scene of the Target on City Avenue in the Wynnefield Heights section of Philadelphia as looters ransacked the store just before 6 p.m.
Earlier in the afternoon, looters ransacked businesses in Kensington. Police sources tell CBS3 they "lost" Kensington Sunday as police were overpowered and outnumbered.
Police say one liquor store on North Broad Street was ransacked four separate times.
Philadelphia officials issued a 6 p.m. curfew tonight that will last until 6 a.m. Monday.
But the curfew did not stop a large number of protesters from marching north on Broad Street Sunday evening.
The group began by taking a knee outside of the Municipal Service Building, where on Saturday, protesters attempted to pull down and set fire to the statue of former mayor Frank Rizzo.
Protesters chanted "don't shoot" as the crowd marched into North Philadelphia.
Law enforcement isn't taking any precautions. Streets are closed down and empty buses are on standby should there be a mass arrest.
CBS3's Alecia Reid, Joe Holden and Matt Petrillo contributed to this report.
