Hold your horses.

Eight hours, six dead in Phila.
By Sam Wood

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Violence in Philadelphia last night left five dead and an armed man wounded in a span of eight hours. Another death in a West Philadelphia hobo camp is under investigation as a possible homicide.
The first death was reported shortly before 6 p.m. in Northwest Philadelphia and ended at 1:15 a.m. in West Philadelphia. The victims were four men and two women, four died by gunfire, two from stabbings.

As dusk began to fall around 5:30 yesterday, two armed men approached a car in Northwest Philadelphia and assassinated a 21-year-old man. Marvin Hudson was in the driver's seat of a green Buick parked on the 7800 block of Temple Road. Hudson was hit several times. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. There were three passengers in the car who escaped the gunfire on foot. Police do not have a motive.

Police in West Philadelphia found the body of a 29-year-old woman who had been stabbed multiple times in a third floor apartment on the 3800 block of Cambridge Street. Josephine Faust was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:40 p.m., police said. Investigators believe Faust may have known her killer and were looking for a "person of interest."

At 7:51, police were called to the 4800 block of Frankford Avenue for a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived they found Michelle Hicks, 36, lying outside on the street bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her torso. Hicks was rushed to Frankford Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Detectives arrested her boyfriend, Richard Smith, 26, and charged with her slaying, police said.

At 8:15, three narcotics officers spotted an armed robbery in progress near 53rd and Ludlow Streets in West Philadelphia. The stick-up man brandished a 9mm handgun. The three officers all opened fire on the gunman. The robber was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

At 10:30 p.m., a man's body was found at a makeshift campsite in Southwest Philadelphia. The body, which had begun to decompose, was spotted 30 feet from the road on 8100 block of Mario Lanza Boulevard. Police believe the man was white and in his mid-60s. There did not appear to be any visible signs of trauma. An autopsy is pending, police said.

Shortly after midnight, a shooting in South Philadelphia claimed the life of another man. Police found Kenneth Henderson, 19, on the 1600 block of S. 23rd Street dead of multiple gun shot wounds. Police have no suspects and no motive in the killing.

At 1:15 a.m., police were called to the 500 block of N. 35th Street in West Philadelphia. Ronald Saunders, 20, had been shot in the neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Seriously. What an awful comeuppance to my little surge of optimism...

__________________
www.malcolmxpark.org

It might be of interest to some that the PPD's website www.ppdonline.org is now showing current murder stats (updated each day) and comparing them to 2007's murder stats. It looks like as of today we have had 22% fewer murders in 2008 than we did in 2007.

__________________
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says, "I will try again tomorrow."

---Mary Anne Radmacher

Philadelphia slayings still falling in 2008

By Barbara Boyer
Inquirer Staff Writer
Medics, police and crime-scene investigators converged on Lindley Avenue in North Philadelphia late Thursday, where an unidentified man lay bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The victim died, the 56th murder recorded this year. During the comparable period last year, 78 people were killed. The 28 percent decrease is illustrative of a decline that began last fall.
"I do think some of it you can attribute to police response," said Chief of Detectives Keith Sadler, who noted that shootings are down as well. "We're going into the sixth month of a downward spiral."
Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey this year unveiled a crime-fighting strategy that he said he expects will reduce the homicide rate by 25 percent from last year, when 392 people were killed. The plan puts a heavy emphasis on increasing police visibility and patrols.
Crime experts are cautious in explaining why rates rise or fall, saying the reasons are complicated and numerous factors must be considered. They are watching closely to see what happens this summer, a season when crime usually jumps. Ramsey, too, has placed an emphasis on the summer, and asked district commanders for plans to address that concern.
Sadler said police plan to further increase foot and bike patrols and quicken response times.
While experts say crime is affected by factors such as the economy, weather, prison releases or an increase in arrests, reality sometimes goes against theory. Last winter, for example, was snowier and colder, which would tend to keep people inside and crime down, Sadler noted.
"Generally speaking, weather does affect crime. But not always - it didn't slow the homicide rate last year," Sadler said.
Early in 2007, the homicide rate climbed much as it did through the end of 2006. Last year, from January through the summer, it appeared Philadelphia was headed for a record number of homicides.
"All of a sudden, it stopped," Sadler said of the upward spiral.
He points to changes in deployment, new hires, and units that targeted high-crime areas. By year's end, investigators aggressively went after some of the most violent offenders, and locked up 20 of them in December, he said.
Jerry Ratcliffe, an associate professor at Temple University's Department of Criminal Justice, has studied violent crime trends in the city and is cautious about conclusions based on short time periods.
Still, he doesn't underestimate the impact police can have. With the commissioner asking commanders for their ideas, he said, the department appears more energized. "Certainly, there's an infusion of interest and enthusiasm," Ratcliffe said.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local...g_in_2008.html

__________________
New term of the day 1/24:
Electile Dysfunction: The inability to become aroused over any of the choices for President put forth by either of only parties in the 2008 election year.
http://www.votenader.org/index.html


5/22, because i'm feeling punny:
As the great Jedi English teacher was quoted in saying, "metaphors be with you."

Right under the nose of city hall:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?se...cal&id=6043617

The attack happened just before 3:00 this afternoon in the westbound concourse located at 13th and Market Streets.
Police say four teenaged suspects attacked a 36-year-old man. A SEPTA police standing on the opposite platform saw what was happening.
"He saw four black juveniles around one white male. He saw the gentleman making a defensive stance, as if he was guarding himself," said Captain Steve Harold.
The officer went to investigate and the suspects ran off. The officer managed to catch one of the suspects.
The victim went into cardiac arrest during the incident.
He was taken to Jefferson University Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Police say the victim was a manager at a Starbucks located in Center City.
Investigators have one suspect in custody, but they continue to look for the other three teenagers.

I was wondering if there might be something posted here -- I saw a crime scene unit on the corner of 13th and Market as I was leaving work and figured something must have happened. What an awful story. And unbelievable that it happened at that time of the day. I'm glad I don't take public trans anymore. I figure since I only have to go in two days a week, I can justify the expense of parking. I honestly can't stand walking anywhere around there. It's not that I'm scared, it's just that it's so filthy and disgusting. And you see nothing but the scum of the earth, especially on Market or Chestnut. What a ****ing ghetto fest. You might see one decent person out of 10 or 20, at best. It's just not worth the misery.

My sincere condolences to the victim's family and friends.

What the hell is "one decent person" supposed to mean?

I work there, I walk around there every day, and see plenty of "decent people." I don't know what your definition might be.

Sad story -- but it now seems that the victim was not beaten at all:

On Center City Subway Platform
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Philadelphia police are investigating a death at SEPTA's Market-Frankford El stop Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said an unidentified man died following a confrontation with a group of teens on the subway platform at 13th and Market Streets at about 3:00 p.m. Wednesday.

The 36-year-old victim, who worked at a nearby Starbucks, was transported to Jefferson University Hospital where he was pronounced dead after going into cardiac arrest.

Police said a 16-year-old boy was taken into custody and three other juveniles fled the scene. Police said the teen had a Simon Gratz High School ID card in his possession, but it was unclear if he was a student at the school.

Authorities initially said they believed the man was beaten to death. However, further investigation revealed no obvious signs of trauma to the victim. Detectives are awaiting autopsy results to determine the man's cause of death.

Sources said there was no blood found near the victim. Investigators are uncertain if the victim was assaulted.

Police said the teens were harassing the victim. It is unclear what prompted the initial confrontation.

SEPTA Police and Philadelphia Police Homicide Detectives are investigating the incident.

__________________
Adlerian PLEASE SEEK ANOTHER THERAPIST, this one IS NOT WORKING

LOL!

Sadly, your hyperbole about these things is getting ridiculously worse. This is an incredibly busy area, with all manner of people. Lots of whom happen to be tourists and conventioneers, thanks to the hotel directly above. And, within a mere block or two in no particular direction, you will find the
City courthouse with judges, cops and lawyers...and defendants and their families. There is also the Reading Terminal Market, and Macy's. Not to mention the 1234 Building across the street from where this happened, full of office workers from agencies and companies, and Oh Yes, Septa and Septa police. There was police nearby, who gave chase and caught one of the little cretins. The other three will soon be arrested.

What makes you think that that area has really gone to crap? There are so many of us that walk there regularly, and use those Septa stations.

__________________


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xCiKCxfYqE

"If we can't learn from our mistakes, what's the point of making them!" ...my friend Richard.

"You are protected by the enormity of your stupidity." Mother to son Victor, in "Notorious"

Ya' gotta admit, there are a lot of scuzzballs and thug life types roaming around 13th street. Chestnut seems to attract them for some reason.