Officer Said Man Hurt Himself. The Video Shows a Beating
Philadelphia officer hit handcuffed man in the face
(Newser) - In his report, a Philadelphia police sergeant said a man he arrested hurt himself, slamming his head on the window of a police car over and over. That's not what the body camera footage showed. In the video, Jason Reid can be seen holding the man's head with... More »
Friends Say Football Player Accidentally Killed Twin Brother
A source says the teens were being taught how to handle a gun at the time
(Newser) - A star high school player in Philadelphia is accused of one of the rarest kinds of murder: the killing of his own twin. Fayaadh Gillard, 18, was arrested Monday and charged with the murder of his brother, Suhail Gillard, who was also a star player at Mastery Charter North High... More »
Here Are the 'Darkest Corners of America'
Trying to be good? Don't go to these 'sinful' cities IDed by WalletHub
(Newser) - A little bit of hedonism never hurt anybody—but in what WalletHub calls "the darkest corners of America," some of our worst vices are in overdrive. The site examined more than three dozens indicators of "evil deeds" in upward of 180 US cities, broken out into seven... More »
11-Month-Old Shot 4 Times as She's Driven in Philadelphia
Girl is in critical condition
(Newser) - A woman driving through Philadelphia on Saturday night heard gunfire, so in trying to flee, she kept driving. When she stopped after about 10 minutes, WCAU reports, she saw bullet holes in her car and realized her 11-month-old stepdaughter had been shot. She rushed the girl to a hospital, where... More »
Starbucks Sees No Bias in 'ISIS' Cup for Muslim Man
Drink order was for Niquel Johnson, aka Aziz
(Newser) - A man in Islamic dress believes he faced discrimination at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, where an employee at another location last year called police on two black men , prompting nationwide racial bias training . Niquel Johnson gave his Islamic name, "Aziz" (ah-zeez), to a Starbucks barista on Aug. 25 but... More »
'Key Evidence' in 1991 Murder: Yellow Socks
Theodore Donahue charged in former girlfriend's killing
(Newser) - A single yellow sock found 28 years ago in the apartment of a man whose girlfriend had been discovered dead is now "a key piece of evidence" in the murder case against him. Theodore Dill Donahue immediately became a person of interest in Denise Sharon Kulb's killing after... More »
Old Navy Is Accused of 'Whitewashing' for Queer Eye
Workers say staff of color were pushed aside
(Newser) - Old Navy workers of color say the store "whitewashed" its staff before Queer Eye showed up for filming, NBC News reports. Monae Alvarado, who works at an Old Navy location in Philadelphia, says she and other employees stayed "overnight" to prep for the Netflix show. "My job... More »
Philly Police Head Quits After Mayor Reads Lawsuit
Women say they faced harassment, discrimination
(Newser) - Philadelphia's police commissioner resigned Tuesday amid allegations that members of his department engaged in sexual harassment and racial and gender discrimination against two women serving in the ranks. Mayor Jim Kenney said in a news release he was disappointed to lose Commissioner Richard Ross Jr., but in light of... More »
Alleged Cop Shooter Surrendered After 4-Way Phone Call
Maurice Hill has a long criminal history—and a newborn daughter
(Newser) - During a seven-hour standoff with police, Maurice Hill called his lawyer. "[He] was like, 'I'm in a situation, I need your help,'" Shaka Johnson tells CBS Philadelphia of the suspect accused of shooting six police officers in Philadelphia on Wednesday. "I told him, '... More »
Gunman in Custody After 6 Officers Shot in Philadelphia
Long standoff followed Wednesday shooting
(Newser) - At least one gunman opened fire on police Wednesday as they were serving a drug warrant in Philadelphia, wounding six officers and triggering a standoff that extended into the night, authorities said. Philadelphia police Sgt. Eric Gripp said early Thursday morning that the man was taken into custody after an... More »
Man Makes Daring Escape From Burning High-Rise
He scaled down 15 stories
(Newser) - He apparently saw one way to escape. And so a man grasped the side of a 19-story high-rise that had caught fire in Philadelphia on Thursday and started descending. The unidentified man, spotted by news helicopters, climbed down 15 stories to reach the ground in a little less than three... More »
Man Allegedly Takes Car With Kids Inside, Onlookers Kill Him
Angry mob took him down, police say
(Newser) - A man allegedly carjacked a car with three kids inside—and ended up dead. The incident happened in Philadelphia Thursday night, while the mother took the children to a pizza store where the father of two of the kids was working, police say. She left the car running as she... More »
Outfielder Gets Suspended for the Season
Odúbel Herrera says he is 'disappointed' in himself
(Newser) - Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odúbel Herrera accepted a suspension for the rest of the season under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy, the AP reports. The commissioner's office announced his decision Friday, two days after domestic assault charges against Herrera in Atlantic City, New Jersey, were dismissed. He... More »
Ship's Cargo Was $1B in Cocaine, Feds Say
Officials call it one of the biggest busts in US history
(Newser) - Federal authorities have made what they called one of the largest cocaine busts in US history: 16 tons of the drug, worth more than $1 billion. The haul was seized Tuesday from a cargo ship, the MSC Gayane, at the Port of Philadelphia, the Inquirer reported. "This amount of... More »
1 Killed, 7 Wounded in Graduation Party Shooting
4 teenagers among the injured in Philadelphia
(Newser) - Authorities in Philadelphia say one person was killed and at least seven others were wounded in a shooting at a graduation party Sunday night, the AP reports. CBS Philadelphia reports that the shooting occurred shortly before 10:30pm near South 70th Street and Reed Bird Place in the southwest of... More »
She Lived 20 Years. Now Her Friend Will Go to Jail for 21
Emma Semler left Jennifer Werstler to die of heroin overdose
(Newser) - Tears flowing down her cheeks, Emma Semler turned to the family of a deceased friend and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." The mother of Jennifer Werstler—who died of a heroin overdose on the floor of a KFC bathroom on her 20th birthday in 2014—wasn't... More »
America Has a New 'Best Restaurant'
The James Beard Foundation awards Zahav
(Newser) - Mazel tov! A renowned Israeli restaurant in Philadelphia just won a top culinary prize and added to the city's growing reputation for fine food, Bloomberg reports. The 2019 James Beard Foundation Awards—known as the Oscars of the food world—named Zahav outstanding restaurant at Lyric Opera in Chicago... More »
Coming Soon: Nation's First Esports Arena
$50M arena to be built in Philadelphia
(Newser) - The US has a lot of sports arenas, and now it's about to get its first esports arena. Comcast Spectator is building the nation's first video gaming arena in Philadelphia, Philly.com reports. The arena will be home to the Comcast-owned Philadelphia Fusion , a professional esports franchise competing... More »
Booby-Trapped Knife Nearly Kills Home Investor
'It's like Home Alone ... Philly style'
(Newser) - A Philadelphia real estate investor says a home he was scoping out came with an unadvertised surprise—a stairway booby-trapped with a swinging knife, the AP reports. Ekrem Uysaler says he and his team were looking at the home in January when one of his co-workers saw a small line... More »
Minutes Before Takeoff From London to Philly, Pilot Arrested
The 62-year-old appeared intoxicated right before the late-morning flight
(Newser) - If you were booked on Flight AA35 out of the UK's Manchester Airport on Thursday morning, you may have been annoyed at your last-minute rebooking. Reading the news Friday, however, should ease your mind that the right call was made. USA Today reports that the American Airlines flight to... More »