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Police ID Suspect in 'This Is Our Block' Shooting of Boy, 2

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Police need the public's help to track down one of two men on BMX bikes who investigators said opened fire on a 26-year-old father and his 2-year-old son last month.

On Monday, the Philadelphia Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Revoire Harris for the May 19th shooting. 

Two-year-old Pryce Johnson was shot four times in the back and his father was shot in the knee after the suspects said, "This is our block."

The incident took place on the 3300 block of Malta Street in the city's Kensington neighborhood, police said.

The child was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital and his father to Temple Hospital. In the days after the shooting, family members said the boy was doing better.

"He fought for his life," Ileana McDaniels said. "He's a fighter, thank God ... This baby is so tiny and he was shot four times. How can he still be OK? I just couldn't fathom it at all."

The child's current condition is unknown.

Both gunmen fled on their bikes after the shooting and were last seen on Westmoreland Street. Police later released surveillance video of the suspects. 

Philadelphia Lodge 5 Fraternal Order of Police announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for the shooting. It was unclear if that reward led to Harris being named a suspect. 

Police asked anyone who knows Harris' whereabouts to call 911 or the East Detective Division at 215-686-3243.



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police / SkyForce10

Blog: Tracking a Heat Wave to Start the Week

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The heat is on as the week starts with possible record-breaking temperatures in the Philadelphia region. But how long will the heat last? And when will we get our next drenching rain?

Air Quality Alerts Throughout Tri-State Region

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Blistering temperatures and humidity are bringing poor air quality to the region.

New Jersey issued a Code Orange air quality alert Monday for Atlantic and Cape May counties.

The state is warning that as temperatures enter into the mid-90s, pollution levels could be hazardous for at-risk populations. This includes children, the elderly and people suffering from asthma, heart and lung disease.

The National Weather Service has also issued air quality alerts throughout the tri-state region. Those in Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Dover are all being advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

New Jersey’s Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Union, and Hudson counties are also on alert until midnight Monday.

The poor air comes with increased humidity in the region, as pollutants from power plants and cars react with the sunlight.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gymboree Files For Bankruptcy

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Children's clothing retailer Gymboree has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and says it may close up to 450 stores.

Heat Causes Philly Schools to Close Early

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Heat is causing Philadelphia schools to close early.

"Due to the high temperatures forecasted, all School District of Philadelphia schools will dismiss early at (noon) tomorrow, Tuesday, June 13," the district said. "All after-school activities including all athletic programs and professional development classes scheduled for Tuesday are canceled as well."

Temps pushed into the mid-90s Monday and were expected to get near record levels again on Tuesday.

The last day of school is set for the following Tuesday, June 20. Temps aren't expected to break 90 again before then.

The district says it will post any updates about the heat to its website. You can also call 215-400-4636.




Photo Credit: NBC Local

Officials ID Officer Who Shot and Killed Dirt Bike Rider

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Officials have identified a dirt bike rider as well as the officer who shot and killed him in North Philadelphia last Thursday.

Investigators say Officer Ryan Pownall, a 12-year veteran assigned to the 15th District, was transporting people to the Special Victims Unit at 300 East Hunting Park Avenue on June 8 around 6:40 p.m. Investigators say Pownall spotted David Jones, 30, riding a red dirt bike in a "reckless manner." Pownall then saw the dirt bike stall on the sidewalk next to a nightclub on the 4200 block of Whitaker Avenue, police said.

Investigators say Pownall stopped his vehicle and tried to question Jones.

"Initially (the officer) was only going there to tell this guy to knock it off," Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.

Initial reports explained that the dirt bike rider got off his bike and started to walk away from the officer, but information from a preliminary investigation released Friday and Monday stated that Jones allegedly turned away from the officer and began holding the front of his waistband. Police say Pownall patted Jones down and felt a firearm in his waistband. Officer Pownall then took out his gun and repeatedly told Jones not to touch the weapon, police said.

"(The officer) looks in his face and says 'Bro don't do it, bro don't do it,'" Ross said.

Investigators say a struggle then ensued between the two men and Jones allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband. Officer Pownall squeezed the trigger of his service weapon but it jammed, police said. Pownall then cleared the stoppage and opened fire as Jones ran away south on Whitaker Avenue, according to investigators.

"The individual then starts to run and the officer then discharges," Ross said. "He is running ahead of the officer when he discharges from behind, so that's a piece we want to look at very closely."

Jones was shot in the back and buttocks. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:59 p.m. Thursday.

Several people who knew Jones arrived within minutes and started yelling at officers. Ross was at the scene as well. One woman described Jones as a "good boy" who didn't bother anyone.

Pownall was not injured during the incident.

A black handgun — later identified by police as a fully-loaded 9mm — could be seen several feet from the dirt bike as a reporter arrived to the scene. Investigators say the gun belonged to Jones and was loaded with 15 9mm cartridges in the magazine.

The dirt bike lay on its side, surrounded by officers and detectives.

Surveillance video from a nearby restaurant appears to show the suspect running away from the officer. 

"I did watch the video and clearly one of the shots was taken while the male was running away, there's no doubt about that," Ross said.

Ross said the video gives investigators "pause."

"The one video video vantage point is actually showing or depicting the officer firing as the guy is running away," Ross said. "I can't get into what the officer may have been seeing or believing at that particular time. Clearly he knows he was in a struggle with a violent guy prior to that."

Ross said he wants to make sure that the officer was following department protocol, which states you should only shoot a fleeing suspect if they are a suspect in a "forcible felony," but there are exceptions and you shouldn't always shoot.

Ross said that a witness being transported by the officer at the time also said "don't do it" before watching the suspect grab a gun. The witness' story corroborates the officer's, Ross said.

Ross asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward and share information with authorities.

Pownall was placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Ross said they would review if the officer followed department protocol.



Photo Credit: Surveillance image obtained by NBC10

Pulse Club Shooting Survivor Reflects on 1-Year Anniversary

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As the nation mourns the victims of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history on its one year anniversary, a Philadelphia woman who survived the attack reflected on her emotional and physical recovery since the massacre.

“Spiritually I just feel more uplifted now,” Patience Carter said. “I feel like I’m not in a dark place anymore.”

Carter, 21, was on vacation in Orlando, Florida with her friend Akyra Murray, an 18-year-old star point guard on West Catholic Preparatory High School’s basketball team. The two women, along with Murray’s cousin were in Club Pulse, a gay nightclub in downtown Orlando, during the early morning hours of June 12, 2016 when Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, walked in and opened fire.

Mateen killed 49 people, including Murray, who was the youngest victim of the shooting. Carter told NBC10 both she and Murray had initially gotten out of the club when the shots first rang out but went back inside to look for her cousin. 

“Akyra is brave,” Carter said. “A hero.”

Carter said they became trapped in a women’s bathroom as Mateen wandered around shooting and talking on the phone to police.

A bullet shattered Carter’s right femur and entered her left leg. She was lying in the bathroom for hours bleeding while Murray had been shot dead. Officers later blasted their way into the club and a SWAT team member lifted Carter from the floor. Carter said she grabbed Murray's cellphone on the way out, hoping she'd have the chance to return it to her friend at the hospital. She never did.

Despite her injuries, Carter was strong enough to share her story with reporters from a hospital bed only days after the shooting.

“We were all having the night we dreamed of, going out on the first night of vacation," Carter said last year. "We just went from having the time of our lives to the worst night of our lives all within a matter of minutes."

Carter also wrote a poem about the guilt she felt for surviving the massacre when 49 other people, including her friend, didn’t.

“The guilt of feeling grateful to be alive is heavy,” she wrote. “Wanting to smile about surviving but not sure the people around you are ready.”

A year later, Carter went into more detail about her difficult journey since that fateful night.

“I remember just getting so frustrated with the reality of understanding why this pain is here and just having to get to class every day I would feel that pain every day,” she told NBC10 Monday. “So it would remind me of everything that I went through every single day.”

Carter, who attends NYU, still has scars from the shooting and still feels pain whenever she walks upstairs. Yet the wounds she suffered weren’t just physical.

“When I was just getting back home it was really bad,” she said. “I woke up screaming. I would hear gunshots in my head but now I feel like I’m in a place where I can walk into a bathroom that resembles the one I literally almost died in and I’m okay.”

For a while Carter stayed away from church.

“For months after I didn’t go back because I honestly felt fearful of the fact that God basically showed up so much that I was scared,” she said. “I was scared of it.”

Carter also said it’s been difficult feeling optimistic again in the midst of other deadly attacks around the world.

“You’re thinking, so many people died,” she said. “You just want it to end somewhere you just want it to stop. And then seeing Paris happen directly after that, then seeing Manchester happening most recently and it’s like, when is it ever going to end?”

Carter continues to turn to writing to help her deal with the pain. She’s currently writing a book about her experience and continues to figure out what she wants to do professionally in the future.

“I’m trying hard every day to really figure that out,” she said. “What my purpose is and how I can use my voice effectively to actually see some sort of change happening.”

As she continues to work through her struggles, she’s now ready to take the next steps in her journey.

“I just felt like it was time,” she said. “I have so much to be thankful for. I really, really do.”

NBC10 Responds: Windshield Trouble

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When a woman hired a company to get a pebble out of her windshield, she thought the repair made the problem worse. When she was alerted to the issue, she called Harry Hairston and NBC10 Responds.


Near-Record Heatwave Grips Region

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With an almost record heatwave hitting our region, we join NBC10's Tim Furlong in Delaware to see how the Diamond State is handling it.

Apartment Building on Parkway Evacuated Due to Fire

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Part of a high rise apartment complex on the Ben Franklin Parkway was evacuated Monday night due to a fire.

Officials say a fire started in the South tower of the Park Towne Place Premier Apartment Homes on the 2200 block of Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The fire caused a smoke odor in one of the buildings which was evacuated.

The fire was placed under control and contained on the 19th floor of the building at 9:09 p.m. No injuries were reported. 


Outside Cosby Trial, Supporters Stand Strong

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"He's not guilty," yelled a woman driving by the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Monday evening.

On the steps of the courthouse, a scrum of cameras and reporters anxiously awaited a jury decision in the Bill Cosby sexual assault trial. The sun set and a verdict hung in the balance, yet a small handful of Cosby supporters fluttered through the scene.

“I used to love Bill Cosby’s show. Rudy is my favorite,” said Norristown resident Nicole Molinaro.

“I liked ‘Little Bill’ on Nickelodeon,” her 9-year-old daughter, Tiffany, interjected.

The mother and daughter came straight to the courthouse when school let out early because of the heat wave. Despite the 95-degree temperature, the Molinaros stood firm behind their beloved comedian.

“We came two times last week,” the elder Molinaro said. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

“That’s why I’m here,” her child said. “I have faith in Bill Cosby that he’s going to win instead of going to jail.”

Standing next to the duo was Philadelphia resident Ciera Pritchett.

Like the Molinaros, she came out to show support for one of her childhood idols. She hoped to catch a glimpse of Cosby before heading back to the air conditioned comfort of her car.

“He’s way too old,” she said. “They waited too long. I feel they need to free him and leave him alone.”

Ciera also grew up watching “The Cosby Show” and, like the handful of supporters waiting on a scorching summer day, she can’t reconcile a sexual predator with the lovable father on television.

“He’s my biggest inspiration,” she said. “He is a nice person. I don’t think he did that to that lady.”

Standing on the sidewalk huddled in the shade, Elizabeth McGrath from Florida tapped away on her smartphone. She has been living nearby for the past several months and frequents the downtown area of Norristown. Since the Cosby trial started she hasn’t missed a single day.

The crowd last week was more robust, she said. Most of those gathered were on team Cosby, but one protester carried a foam middle finger to the court. McGrath thought perhaps the demonstrator was on team Andrea Constand, the 44-year-old defendant who accused Cosby of drugging and molesting her in 2004.

McGrath doesn’t normally follow celebrity trials, but this time it’s personal, she said.

“I think enough is enough,” McGrath said. “It’s been going on for a long time. He’s still Uncle Bill in my eyes.”



Photo Credit: Alicia Lozano

Crews Search for Missing Swimmer in Mays Landing

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Crews are searching for a missing swimmer in Mays Landing, New Jersey. The unidentified person was swimming in the water off Thelma Avenue shortly before 8 p.m. Monday and went under but did not surface, police said.

Several rescue crews are searching for the swimmer. Officials have not yet revealed his or her identity.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Coatesville Police Department Wins National Photo Contest

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A photo showing a Chester County officer having fun with children has gained national attention and recognition.

The Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has announced Coatesville as the winner of its June photo contest.

In the winning photograph, a Coatesville officer is seen running through a local splash pad with a group of children.

"We encourage 'park and walks' where officers get out of their cars and get into the community—whether it’s playing basketball or checking on the local businesses. We encourage that and we’ve been pretty successful." Coatesville Police Chief Jack Laufer said about the picture.

After winter storm damage left the water playground closed for maintenance, its reopening last month attracted a crowd of children, parents, and city officials.

The officer, who requested to remain anonymous, voluntarily decided to join the kids in front of city leaders, media members, and the public.

"It's not about one officer being involved in community policing, it’s about the whole department." Chief Laurer stated regarding the officer's anonymity.

The COPS Office began the photo contest two years ago in an effort to highlight positive community policing efforts across the country. After receiving an overwhelming amount of entries, the COPS office decided to make the contest an annual event. 

The Coatesville Police Department is one of the 12 winners of this year's contest, and their water fun was chosen to represent the month of June.


Residents Try to Cope With the Heat Wave

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Residents are struggling to get relief from the heat throughout the region. NBC10 reporter Brandon Hudson has the details.

Woman Attacks Police Horse During Anti-Muslim Rally: Cops

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A Philadelphia woman is accused of attacking a police horse with a flag pole during an anti-Muslim rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania over the weekend. 

Police said the incident occurred during an ACT for America Rally Saturday at 11:32 a.m. on the Capital steps of North 3rd and State streets in Harrisburg. It was one of several rallies in cities across the nation Saturday that were sponsored by ACT for America, which is classified as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

During the rally, protesters moved from the Capital steps onto N. 3rd Street throughout the midtown area, officials said. Several mounted Pennsylvania State Police troopers and Harrisburg Police were helping to move the crowd from blocking the 1200 block of N. 6th Street towards the sidewalk, according to investigators.

As a State Police Corporal and his police horse partner attempted to move the crowd, a woman, identified by police as Lisa Simon, 23, of Philadelphia, allegedly used a flag pole with a silver nail at the top to strike the horse on the side of the neck. Simon allegedly resisted as Harrisburg Police officers tried to arrest her. She was later taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault to police, taunting police animals, disorderly conduct and other related offenses.

Neither the corporal nor the police horse were serious hurt.



Photo Credit: Harrisburg Police

10 at 7: What You Need to Know Today

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Here are the 10 things you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.


TODAY'S TOP STORY 

No Verdict Reached Monday in Cosby Trial: Jurors in Bill Cosby's Pennsylvania sexual assault trial ended deliberations for the night on Monday. The sequestered panel deliberated for about four hours late Monday before asking to go back to the hotel. They'll resume deliberations Tuesday morning. Cosby is accused of drugging and violating a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004. During deliberations, the jury asked to hear part of Cosby's decade-old testimony in a civil case about the pills he gave the accuser before she said she was sexually assaulted. It was read to them by the judge. The Pittsburgh-area jury has been away from home for more than a week and was in the courthouse for about 14 hours Monday through a brief defense case and closing arguments.

    YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

    More record-breaking heat is possible for Tuesday with highs possibly getting into the upper-90s. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

    [[427905513, C]]

    WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

    High Rise Apartment Evacuated Due to Fire: Part of a high rise apartment complex on the Ben Franklin Parkway was evacuated Monday night due to a fire. Officials say a fire started in the South tower of the Park Towne Place Premier Apartment Homes on the 2200 block of Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The fire caused a smoke odor in one of the buildings which was evacuated. The fire was placed under control and contained on the 19th floor of the building at 9:09 p.m. No injuries were reported.

    AROUND THE WORLD

    Trump Travel Ban Dealt Another Blow, Faces High Court Next: Another U.S. appeals court stomped on President Donald Trump's revised travel ban Monday, saying the  administration violated federal immigration law and failed to provide a valid reason for keeping people from six mostly Muslim nations from coming to the country. The decision by a unanimous three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals helps keep the travel ban blocked and deals Trump a second big legal defeat on the policy in less than three weeks. The administration said it would seek further review at the U.S. Supreme Court, as it has already done with a ruling against the travel ban by another appeals court last month. The high court is likely to consider the cases in tandem.

      TODAY'S TALKER                

      Police Respond to Fight Call, Leads to Arrest in Child Rape: Police say a Pennsylvania man caught his friend in the act of raping the man's 6-year-old son. Hazleton police arrested 19-year-old Sebastian Wardingo on child rape and other charges after police answered a fight call at a home Saturday night. Police say Wardingo and the alleged victim's father were fighting. They later learned why: The boy's father told police he walked into a room and saw Wardingo pulling up his pants and the boy on a bed with his pants down. Police say Wardingo eventually acknowledged raping the boy. Online court records don't list an attorney for Wardingo, who remained in the Luzerne County jail on Monday. He faces a preliminary hearing June 28.

      SPORTS SPOT

      Phillies Lose to Boston: The Phillies lost 5 to 6 against the Boston Red Sox. Get your full sports news at CSNPhilly.

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      PHOTO OF THE DAY

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      See more Top News Photos here.

      THROUGH IGER'S EYES

      [[272042161, C]]

      @philadaphne captured this image of Philadelphia at night.

      Have an awesome Instagram photo you'd like to share? Tag it with #NBC10Buzz.

      TODAY'S VIRAL VIDEO

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      What if the sun doubled in size: Click here to watch. 

      A LITTLE SWEETENER 

      Coatesville Police Department Wins National Photo Contest: A photo showing a Chester County officer having fun with children has gained national attention and recognition. The Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has announced Coatesville as the winner of its June photo contest. In the winning photograph, a Coatesville officer is seen running through a local splash pad with a group of children.  Read more.


      That's what you need to know. We've got more stories worthy of your time in the Breakfast Buzz section. Click here to check them out


      This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

      NJ Transit Train Strikes, Kills Police Officer

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      A New Jersey police officer died Monday morning after he was hit by a train near the Linden NJ Transit station, police said.

      Officer Daniel Kuczynski was off duty when he was struck by an NJ Transit train around 7:30 a.m., police said.

      Officials said the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by the Amtrak Police Dept. Amtrak owns the tracks where the officer was struck and killed.

      The Linden Police Dept. released a statement saying Kuczynski served as the Director of the Linden Police Athletic League (PAL) for the past nine years.

      “As police officers, we strive to make a difference, and through his work Danny had a profound impact on our city’s children,” Linden Police Chief Jonathan Parham said.

      Parham said there would be a candlelight vigil for Kuczynski at Dobson Park on Tuesday evening.



      Photo Credit: Linden Police Dept.

      Troopers Save Tot, Pup From Hot Car After Grandma Locks Self Out

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      Two New Jersey State Troopers rescued a 2-year-old boy and a puppy after the child's grandmother accidentally locked the duo inside with her keys Sunday as temperatures topped 90 degrees across the tri-state

      New Jersey State Police say the woman had put her grandson and the dog in the car after visiting some place in Hammonton Township's Batsto Village and went around to the driver's side to get in herself when she realized her keys were on the passenger seat and the doors were locked. 

      The woman frantically called 911, authorities say. Troopers Jacob Sherry and Steven Hodge responded and immediately noticed the child was sweating. 

      Hodge broke the window and Sherry pulled out the child and dog. 

      The child was evaluated as a precaution; his vital signs were normal and he was not in distress, authorities say. The dog also appeared to be OK. 

      "The appreciative grandmother taught us all a very valuable lesson: Secure your keys before placing children and animals in cars," NJSP posted on Facebook.



      Photo Credit: Handout

      Gunfire Rings Out After NBA Finals Watch Party: Neighbors

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      Neighbors say that gunfire rang out after an outdoor NBA Finals watch party in Montgomery County.

      The shooting along Powell Street near Spring Alley in Norristown, Pennsylvania just before midnight Monday left a man shot, county dispatchers said. The man’s condition wasn’t released.

      Neighbors told NBC10 that one house on the block had a big screen television showing Game 5 of the NBA Finals. People sat outside watching the Golden State Warriors win the championship before gunfire rang out.


      Evidence markers covered the street as Norristown police searched for clues.

      No word yet on possible suspects.



      Photo Credit: NBC10 - Pete Kane

      All Philadelphia District Schools To Be Equipped With AEDs

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      The School District of Philadelphia is announcing plans to place AEDs in all district schools on Tuesday, June 13.

      This addition is part of a health and safety project. While all high schools have AEDs, the district wants to expand the AED initiative to elementary schools.

      In addition to the new equipment, elementary school principals will be taught hands-only CPR and how to use the AED machines.

      AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are portable devices that check heart rhythms. If the rhythms are irregular, the AED can send an electric shock to make them normal. They are also designed to treat sudden cardiac arrests.

      After a yearlong process, The School District of Philadelphia announced June 13 at 9:30 a.m. in a press conference at 440 N. Broad St. that it plans to complete equipping schools with AEDs by June 30, 2017, just after classes end.

      Cardiologist Dr. Vicki Vetter of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Rachel Moyer, advocate and parent of student athlete of East Stroudsburg, Gregory Moyer, who passed away due to cardiac arrest will be a the press conference.

      They will be joined by Dr. Cheryl Logan, Chief of Academic Support of The School District of Philadelphia; Bettyann Creighton, Office of Academic Support, Health, Safety and Physical Education of The School District of Philadelphia, and John Barber, Chief Development Officer of The Fund for The School District of Philadelphia.

      The AEDs were purchased with the support of the Louis T. Savino, III Foundation, the Jahri Evans Foundation and the Daniel Rumph II Foundation.



      Photo Credit: AP
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