Officer Involved Shooting/Overnight Incidents

Please note that the following information is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues.

On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at approximately 7:14am, two 18th District Philadelphia Police Officers responded to a radio call for a person with a weapon and a report of a family being held hostage on the 5400 block of Webster Street. Preliminary investigation indicates the 911 call originated from a phone registered to the decedent.

Upon arrival, the uniformed officers observed a male (later identified as the decedent) on the front porch of a residence. The officers, Officer #1 and Officer A, exited their RPC, at which point the male brandished a firearm, and raised the handgun in their direction. The officers took cover and issued multiple commands for the male to drop the weapon. The male discharged one round from his weapon. At that point officer #1 discharged her service weapon one time, striking the male.

Continue reading →

Homicide Investigation

The following information is preliminary and subject to change. Updates will be provided as they become available.

On April 4, 2026, at approximately 4:42 p.m., officers from the 18th District responded to 4004 Market Street following reports of a shooting inside a grocery store. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male victim suffering from a gunshot wound.

The victim was transported by University of Pennsylvania Police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased at 5:13 p.m.

The investigation is currently ongoing with the Homicide Unit

DRBC News Update: Upcoming Webinars

The DRBC and its River Basin Commission partners are hosting a free, public webinar on Data Centers: What About Water? on April 16, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The webinar will explore how water factors into the rise of data centers, why it matters for our communities and shared resources and the role of interstate River Basin Commissions. Learn more and register at https://www.nj.gov/drbc/programs/supply/datacenters.html#webinar.
DRBC Sr. Chemist/Toxicologist Dr. Jeremy Conkle will be one of the presenters at an upcoming webinar hosted by the New Jersey Section of the American Water Resources Association (NJ-AWRA). The April 23, 2026, webinar will take place from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will focus on PFAS: Toxicology, Data Collection and Treatment. Conkle’s presentation is entitled “Twenty years of PFAS data in the Delaware River Basin: Just scratching the surfactant.” Learn more and register at https://njawra.org/event-6626649.

Suspect for Theft of a Dog in the 35th District

Fatal Crash Investigation

On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at approximately 5:55 a.m., a fatal crash occurred in the 2900 block of North Front Street. The incident involved multiple individuals. A female was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased at 6:53 a.m. Another female from the same vehicle was also transported to a local hospital and is currently listed in critical condition. A third individual, from another vehicle, was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.

Additional details will be shared as they become available.

Cleary’s Notebook News March 2006: Cheers & Jeers

JEER — To the landlord who treated East Thompson Avenue like a dumping ground

A landlord on East Thompson Avenue left an unsightly pile of trash at the curb six days before the scheduled pickup — a heap that sat there blowing around the neighborhood like a slow‑motion insult. Just a few steps away on South Burdsall Avenue, another pile of recyclables was dumped directly in the street instead of being placed in a proper recycling bin.

Gloucester City’s trash ordinances couldn’t be clearer: household waste and recyclables must be placed at the curb no earlier than 7 PM the night before pickup, and only in secure, watertight containers. The rules also spell out weight limits, container‑cover requirements, and fines that can reach $2,000 for repeat offenders. These aren’t suggestions — they’re laws meant to keep neighborhoods clean, safe, and livable.

WHY IT MATTERS

Community pride begins at home. When someone leaves trash out for nearly a week, it doesn’t just create an eyesore — it chips away at the dignity of the block. It tells your neighbors their street isn’t worth respecting. It invites rodents, scatters debris, and sends the message that Gloucester City is a place where standards don’t matter.

And here’s the real frustration: the City already has ordinances on the books to prevent exactly this kind of behavior. If those laws aren’t going to be enforced, then what’s the point of having them? Residents who follow the rules shouldn’t have to live with the consequences of those who don’t.

Cleary’s Notebook News photos

CHEER-To the Gloucester City Lions Club and the Gloucester Little League organization for replacing the torn American Flag and the POW Flag at the LL field and at the Johnson Blvd Jogging Park. Kudos also to Bruce Parry for his help.

WHY IT MATTERS Continue reading “Cleary’s Notebook News March 2006: Cheers & Jeers” →

Millersville University Graduates Nearly 400

Nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the Dec. 13 commencement exercises at Millersville University, where former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tim Mayza, a 2018 graduate, offered the address.

Samantha Johnson of Dorothy, Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Technology

Morgan Klaiss of Mullica Hill, Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Technology

Nicole Lutz of Moorestown, Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary and Special Education

Angelina Saverase of Blackwood, Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education

Marissa Weaver of Carneys Point, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Continue reading →

Suspect for Homicide in the12th District

Homicide Victim Identified

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at approximately 7:09 p.m., officers from the 2nd District, Philadelphia, responded to a radio call reporting a person with a gun on the 12XX block of Magee Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, identified as Vaswani Brown, a 35-year-old Black male from the 14XX block of Levick Street, lying on the highway with a single gunshot wound to the torso.

Police transported the victim to Jefferson–Torresdale Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 7:47 p.m.

Officers also recovered a handgun with an extended magazine at the scene, which was registered to the victim. At this time, the motive remains unknown and no arrests have been made.

PPD TO HONOR POLICE CHAPLAINS IN FIRST-EVER RECOGNITION CEREMONY

The Philadelphia Police Department will host its first-ever formal recognition ceremony honoring the Department’s Police Chaplains for their dedicated service to the men and women of the PPD, the City of Philadelphia, and the communities they serve.

Police Chaplains provide critical spiritual guidance, emotional support, and crisis response assistance to officers and their families, often working behind the scenes during some of the Department’s most challenging moments. This inaugural ceremony will formally recognize their unwavering commitment and impact.

Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 President Roosevelt Poplar will present awards to each chaplain. Members of the Police Clergy, PPD Command Staff, and Department leadership will be in attendance. Following the ceremony, a luncheon will be held in their honor.

WHO: