A pit bull certified for pet therapy may get his chance to help patients heal at a South Jersey hospital network after the CEO invited the dog’s owner to reapply for the pet therapy program.

“We are not restricting any breed of dog from our pet therapy program,” Virtua President and CEO Richard Miller said.

Miller is referring to 3-year-old pit bull Aladdin, who became certified as a pet therapy dog earlier this summer but was not accepted into the Virtua Hospital's program.

The dog's owner, Michele Schaffer said the hospital refused Aladdin’s participation because an internal survey of the hospital had been conducted and, based on those results, pit bulls were not allowed in the hospital’s program. 

But Miller said that survey does not exist and a miscommunication between hospital staff and the dog's owner likely caused the confusion.

“We did reach out to Aladdin’s owner and rectified the situation,” said Miller, who invited Schaffer and Aladdin to reapply for Virtua's pet therapy program.

Schaffer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It is unclear if she plans to reapply.

“We do not take a stand on a breed,” Miller said. “We take a stand on a dog.”

The process to clear a dog for the therapy program is lengthy and involves many obstacles. In every case they receive, individual evaluations of dogs are performed to ensure they are suitable for interaction with patients, Miller said.

“The bottom line is that we will evaluate Aladdin as part of the program and if he qualifies fully we will not restrict him from the program,” Miller said. “We will do what’s best for patients at the end of the day."

Traffic slowed to a crawl as dignitaries, loved ones and strangers gathered in a North Philadelphia church to remember three young children killed during a carjacking hit-and-run.

Joseph Thomas Reed, 10, his sister Keiearra Williams, 15, and brother Terrence Moore, 7, were struck and killed Friday when a carjacked SUV plowed into a fruit stand where they were volunteering on a street corner on Germantown and Allegheny Avenues.

One Monday, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and others gathered at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church along Oxford Street to remember the three children for a viewing followed by funeral services and internment at Fernwood Cemetery.

Former Philadelphia 76ers star Charles Barkley offered to pay for the funeral as the children's mother remained hospitalized with severe injuries.

The mother, Keisha Williams, was critically injured while their neighbor, Thelma Brown, broke an ankle. Family members say Williams, 35, still doesn't know that her children were killed.

"There were so many questions that we have no answers to," said Cassandra Alexander, a cousin of the victims, during a rally last week. "Our tears seem to never end. Our hearts are completely broken."

"We can't believe this is our new reality," Alexander said. "A nightmare that just won't end. We just can't grasp it."

"We are humbled by all of your love and support. Please keep our family in your prayers."

The two suspects in the deadly carjacking and crash - Cornelius Crawford, 23, and Jonathan Rosa, 19 - were charged last week with second-degree murder, robbery, carjacking, sexual assault and other offenses. On Tuesday investigators revealed that Rosa's own mother brought her son back to police after they questioned and released him earlier in the weekend.

While announcing the arrest of the men, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams also announced that NBA legend Charles Barkley offered to pay for the funeral expenses.

Philadelphia Police warned people of potential traffic troubles around the church and on the route to Fernwood Cemetery on Baltimore Avenue in Yeadon, Delaware County.

The Philadelphia Fire Marshal says a build up of excess propane gas inside a food truck caused it to explode last month -- killing a mother and daughter and injuring 11 others.

The gas ignited on the La Parrillada Chapina food truck as its owner, Olga Galdernez, and her daughter, Jaylin Landaverry, served customers at 3rd and Wyoming Avenue in Feltonville on the evening of July 1.

The built-up gas found its way to an open flame inside the truck resulting in a huge fireball that consumed the truck, the street and sidewalk. The Fire Marshal says the exact ignition source is unknown because there were a number of burners and warmers inside the mobile restaurant.

Galdernez, 42, and Landaverry, 17, were critically injured in the blast and died two weeks later. Eleven others were hurt -- two remain hospitalized in stable condition and nine others have since been released, fire officials say.

A number of people were hurt not only by flames, but flying metal and debris from the explosion. One of the propane tanks was sent flying 95 feet away. It landed in a homeowner's yard.

The Fire Marshal says it is continuing to investigate what caused the propane to leak. They are working with the Arson Task Force and Department of Transportation on that part of the investigation.

An elderly Chester County man was robbed and beaten on Friday.

The 75-year-old Coatesville resident was sitting on a bench in the 500 block of E. Lincoln Highway at 4:00 AM when he was approached by two unidentified males, according to Coatesville Police. The two men told the elderly victim to "Give it up!"

The victim complied, giving the two men his wallet, keys, ID card and $360.

After taking the possessions, the two men proceeded to assault the elderly victim before fleeing.

The 75-year-old was left with numerous bruises, cuts and a black eye.

Coatesville Police say they have no new information as of Monday.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to please contact Detective Joseph Thompson of the Coatesville Police Department.

An alleged serial rapist, who reportedly mocked one victim by saying he gave her the sexually transmitted disease HIV, is off the streets of Philadelphia.

Ian Gabriel, 23, has been linked to four alleged assaults over the past three years, police say. He was arrested on July 9 after police say he raped a juvenile at an Oxford Circle barber shop, where he was employed part-time, two days before.

Following his arrest, Special Victims Unit detectives ran Gabriel's DNA through a database where it was a match for two rapes in 2012, officials said. The first happened on Feb. 15, 2012 in the Kensington section of the city. Then, about six months later in nearby Frankford, police say Gabriel struck again.

In that case, detectives say the man beat the female victim in the head and face. The injuries were so severe, detectives at the time said she was almost unrecognizable. He then ended the alleged assault by taunting her saying "Ha-ha, I just gave you HIV," according to police.

The victim was tested, but the results were not released due to privacy laws. Gabriel's HIV status is also unclear.

Gabriel is also accused of committing 2011 rape in Frankford. He was arrested for the alleged crime, but the case was dropped after the victim chose not to move forward.

Gabriel is being held on $500,000 bail in the city prison. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A preliminary hearing is set for next August 14.

Police are investigating a fatal shooting in West Philadelphia.

Investigators say a 39-year-old man was on the 5200 block of Delancey Street Wednesday afternoon when at least two gunmen opened fire.

The victim was struck several times in the back and the gunmen fled the scene in a gold-colored van.
The man was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was later pronounced dead. Police have not yet revealed his identity.

No arrests have been made. Police continue to investigate.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 

Three local colleges are among the top schools in the nation when it comes to students with the highest SAT scores, according to a recent report from Forbes.

Forbes released its top 100 list of colleges ranked by the average SAT scores. Princeton University was the highest ranking local school, tying with Harvard University at number 3 with an average score of 1505. The University of Pennsylvania was ranked at number 18 with an average score of 1450 and Swarthmore College came in at number 21, with an average score of 1440.

Click here to view the full list.
 

Residents were evacuated from an apartment complex in the Spring Garden section of the city after a fire broke out Monday night.

The fire started at the Parkway House Apartments on the 2200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue around 8:15 p.m. The fire led to a power outage on the street that extends for several blocks.

Residents in the complex were evacuated. No one was hurt during the incident.

The fire was brought under control around 9 p.m.and power was restored to nearby homes.

The fatal shooting of an alleged home invader was justified, according to Montgomery County investigators. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office came to the conclusion following a week-long investigation of the shooting death of 22-year-old Daryl Marquis Evans.

According to investigators, on July 28 around 1 a.m., Evans broke into a home on the 1100 block of Willow Street in Norristown.

Police say the 29-year-old homeowner heard Evans knocking at his door. The man then walked down from the second floor, carrying his registered .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, semi-automatic handgun inside his right waistband.

When he opened the door, he was met by Evans who was allegedly carrying his own weapon, a Taurus PT 911, 9mm caliber pistol, in his right hand. Investigators say Evans entered the home with his gun drawn while asking, “Who’s in the house” and “Where’s the s*%$.”

After the homeowner claimed that no one was in the house, Evans allegedly entered the living room while pointing his gun at the homeowner’s chest. Police say the homeowner then pulled out his weapon from beneath his shirt and fired six shots, striking Evans in the chest, pelvis and leg. The homeowner then called 911 and police officers arrived a short time later. Evans was later pronounced dead at the scene.

After investigating, officials determined that Evans fired one shot while inside the home and that the homeowner was justified in his actions.

“The resident acted reasonably and with proper justification when he lawfully stood his ground in his home and used deadly force against Daryl Marquis Evans during his invasion of the residence,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman. “This District Attorney’s Office will take no further action in this matter. The laws of our Commonwealth provide that citizens of our community may stand their ground and defend themselves inside their homes.  Faced with an armed intruder who illegally entered his home, the resident was justified in using deadly force to protect himself.”

According to court records, Evans was a convicted felon and wanted on warrants from the Montgomery County Court at the time of the shooting. Evans had prior convictions for aggravated assault and was sentenced on those charges to 20 to 40 months in a State Correctional Institution. He was also charged in three separate cases which involved accusations of robbery, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver.

 

A single mother from Philadelphia who could be facing up to three years in prison for what she claims was an effort to be honest with New Jersey authorities is set to appear in court on Tuesday.

Shaneen Allen, 27, is scheduled for a pre-trial conference in connection to an incident that occurred last year.

On Oct. 1, 2013, Allen was pulled over in Atlantic County, New Jersey, for a routine traffic stop. When the officer approached her vehicle, the mother of two informed him that she had a handgun in the car and presented her concealed carry permit for Pennsylvania.

Allen quickly learned that her Pennsylvania gun license held no legal weight in New Jersey when instead of getting a traffic ticket, she was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and armor penetrating bullets.

"She voluntarily and honestly told the officer that she had her licensed handgun and gave him her license to carry," Allen's attorney Evan Nappen said.

"She’s a hard-working single mom. It’s really crazy that New Jersey is taking someone who’s got no criminal record and was doing nothing wrong — other than a minor traffic violation — and making it into a felony-level conviction with minimal mandatory time."

Nappen is a New Jersey-based criminal defense attorney whose practice focuses on gun law. He says his client did not know it was illegal to have her .380 Bersa Thunder handgun and the hollow-point bullets in it while driving through the state.

According to the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association, Pennsylvania concealed carry permits, like the one Allen has, are honored in 30 other states. New Jersey is not one of them.

If found guilty, Allen could face up to three years in prison with no chance of parole.

Nappen says Allen purchased the gun through a licensed dealer roughly a week before her arrest because she feared for her safety. She had been robbed twice earlier that year.

According to Nappen, Allen's case is particularly unfortunate because she has two small children, and because an Atlantic County prosecutor denied Allen admission into a Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) program that would have allowed for a more lenient punishment, a period of probation and some community service.

Nappen says he's seen at least a dozen similar cases in the past year. He believes a federal law mandating concealed carry license reciprocity among states might be a fix for the issue.

"People believe that your gun license should be treated like your driver’s license. Right now there’s a national law being proposed that would mandate that all states recognize other states licenses," he said. "It’s still pending, but it's needed for people like this. I’m calling that bill Shaneen’s law."

University of Pennsylvania Law School professor Kermit Roosevelt said New Jersey authorities were well within their rights when they arrested Allen.

"I don't think the law is problematic. Each state has legal authority to regulate behavior within its borders. So, they're saying we have laws, and if you come here, you have to play by our rules," he said.

When it comes to firearms laws, New Jersey is considered to be one of the strictest states in the country.

Roosevelt agreed that a federal law might be a good solution for the future.

"I think, as a general matter, a federal law would be a good idea. When you get conflicts between the states about issues like this, Congress is supposed to weigh everyone's interests and find a reasonable resolution," he said. "In the meantime, it's still up to the states."

The alleged triggerman in the stray-bullet killing of a 3-year-old Philadelphia girl was arrested Monday night, according to a high ranking police official.

Brandon Ruffin, 22, was arrested shortly before 10 p.m. after U.S. Marshals and the Fugitive Task Force of Philadelphia executed a search warrant at a home on the 5600 block of Bloyd Street in the Germantown section of the city.

Investigators believe Ruffin, of the 1300 block of Wharton Street, fired the shot that wounded three adults and killed Tynirah, who was hit by a stray bullet along the 1500 block of S Etting street in the city's Grays Ferry neighborhood Friday night. .

Investigators already charged Ruffin's alleged accomplice, Douglas Woods, 22, of the 1400 block of South Ringgold Street, with murder and other offenses, but witnesses and police tell NBC10 Ruffin was the gunman.

A judge denied Woods bail.

Court records show that Ruffin had multiple run-ins with the law in his past. He was released from prison July 3 -- less than a month before he allegedly pulled a gun when he got into an argument, according to police.

Ruffin, Woods and another man, 24, were arguing along Etting Street, according to police. In a moment the neighborhood street, where Tynirah was getting her hair done by a family friend, turned violent.

Ruffin allegedly pulled out a gun and started firing, according to witnesses.

The intended target -- the 24-year-old man involved in the argument -- suffered a gunshot wound to the head and three others -- Tynirah, a 21-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman -- were also hit, according to officials.

Tynirah was struck in the left side of her chest and died a short time later at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The three others were transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ruffin is charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy and other related offenses. He remains in custody.

The future of an electronic dance music festival on a Jersey shore beach is in doubt after a weekend that included dozens of drug arrests and overdoses and a handful of fights.

Forty-two people were arrested and 34 people were treated for drug overdoses at the two-day Electric Adventure music festival in Seaside Heights.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato "is taking a hard look at the value of this type of event," according to spokesman Al Della Fave.

"It isn't something we're happy with," Della Fave said.

Mayor Bill Akers also says he will oppose a similar concert returning to Seaside Heights.

Authorities said they had planned in advance for the estimated 6,000 attendees but did not expect the level of drug use they found.

On its website, the festival said that the use of drugs was strictly forbidden, and organizers warned that concertgoers caught with illegal substances would be barred from future festivals.

One concertgoer, 21-year-old Paul Boci of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, said that his security patdown wasn't as thorough as he thought it should have been.

He said the mostly teenage crowd was "partying like adults."

"(They were) throwing up, drinking, getting hammered," he said.

This was the festival's first appearance in Seaside Heights, after two years at Six Flags in Jackson.