Fox 29 Philadelphia reporter Steve Keeley explored the aftermath of looting in the city's Port Richmond neighborhood Wednesday morning—and found an entire strip mall destroyed by a mob.
The city has seen widespread unrest following the death of Walter Wallace Jr., whom police shot for reportedly charging them with a knife, but recently the looting has become increasingly calculated.
"An immigrant store owner from north Jersey, he tried to guard his store," Keeley reported. "He put mattresses and big furniture pieces up against his doors, he said it was no match for the crowd. They came in with U-Haul trucks—U-Haul trucks!—and I can't tell you the words he used to describe it."
As left-wing activists have justified looting in the name of the Black Lives Matter movement, cities around the country have struggled to maintain order. Wallace's family have pleaded with Philadelphians not to destroy businesses in his name, but the rioting has continued.
Keeley said a security officer told him what the rioters did to a Walmart they later ransacked.
"Somehow, for fun of it I guess, some people climbed up to the pipes and pulled them down," he said. "That's what's causing the store to be completely flooded."
In addition to stealing and destroying products, the rioters took Walmart's cash registers as well.
"Same goes for all the stores elsewhere in this strip mall, all the registers were stolen," Keeley said.
The rioters also apparently used explosives to open some of Walmart's vending machines in order to take the cash inside.
LOOK at @Walmart vending machines. You can see that one of them was BLOWN UP to get the cash box out. And inside the store ALL the cash registers are GONE. As the check out aisle floods from 'looters pulled the pipes down" store security officer tells FOX29 News @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/MXbMGaJvdY
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 28, 2020
Keeley reported at least 11 people have been shot, including looters shot by other looters.
11 people shot while looting in Philadelphia so far since last night. 'Looters were shooting looters." '50 yr old man that had his car filled then was carjacked and had all his stolem stiff re-stolen from him"from @PhillyPolice on scene of looting tell FOX 29. @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/FahA709kFN
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 28, 2020
Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf (D.) mobilized the National Guard to deal with the rioting, but Philadelphia police have been ordered not to arrest looters, Fox 29 reported. In a directive, Deputy Police Commissioner Melvin Singleton told police to respond to "priority" calls only, which do not include "disturbance, missing person, missing vehicle, burglary or theft."
Videos show a Black Lives Matter organizer saying it was time to "rip the root out of the f—ing soil" and protesters harassing Jewish people who said they wanted to join the protest out of "solidarity." The protesters shouted that the Jews were part of the "Synagogue of Satan" prophesied in the New Testament.