Philadelphia enacts 9 p.m. curfew as tensions remain high following shooting death of Wallace Jr.

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PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia officials on Friday reinstated a citywide 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew as tensions remain high in the wake of the police-involved shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr.

During the curfew grocery stores, restaurants and pharmacies are only allowed to open for delivery service. If businesses choose to remain open in this capacity, the city said buildings should be secure to protect on-site and delivery employees.

The city first instituted a curfew Wednesday night to Thursday morning after the second night of unrest spiraled into looting and riots across the city.

Philadelphia went without a curfew Thursday night into Friday morning, which yielded peaceful results. Although pounding rain and sustained winds could have helped keep demonstrators at bay.

State police join effort to maintain peace in Philadelphia following unrest

FOX 29's Steve Keeley reports on a heavy police presence in Philadelphia overnight Thursday in response to unrest following the officer involved shooting death of Walter Wallace Jr.

The city's police force added extra manpower Thursday night and Friday morning. Hordes of armor-clad Pennsylvania State Police Troopers and dozens of police vehicles were seen near the Municipal Services Building in Center City Thursday night. Hours later, truckfuls of service members from the Pennsylvania National Guard arrived in the city.

Demonstrations began in Philadelphia on Monday evening after two officers shot and killed 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr. on the 6100 block of Locust Street. Officers responded to the West Philadelphia address and were met by Wallace who police say refused to drop a knife. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The family of Wallace Jr. has since argued that their son was having a mental health crisis and required medical attention instead of police intervention. Protests soon turned violent in the wake of Wallace's death as dozens of officers were injured and police cars were set on fire.

Looting and rioting became more prevalent during the second night of unrest as businesses in Port Richmond were ransacked and destroyed. Philadelphia police on Thursday said 212 people have been arrested during the widespread unrest across the city, including 40 arrests for burglary on Wednesday alone. The violence caused Philadelphia leaders to enact a curfew Wednesday night to Thursday morning.

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