Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has a message to those who have or are thinking about participating in a "knockout game" attack.

"First and foremost this is disgusting and inexcusable behavior," Nutter said during a press conference early Monday evening. "It's not a game. You can seriously injure or possibly even kill someone with this kind of activity." 

During the press conference, Nutter vowed anyone who engaged in the attacks would be prosecuted to the "fullest extent of the law."

"It's a very serious crime to assault someone," Nutter said. "The Philadelphia Police Department and District Attorney will treat it as such."

Called the "knockout game," such attacks, typically carried out by teens, consist of someone punching a stranger in the head at random. The goal is to try and knock them out cold. Some of the beatings are recorded and posted online for all to see.

A number of such attacks have taken place across the nation recently -- resulting in injuries for the victims and at least one death.

NBC10 records show at least a half a dozen recent assaults in Philadelphia bear the characteristics of a "knockout game" attack. But, while there is heightened concern that more attacks are taking place locally, not all assaults that have the hallmarks of the 'game' turn out to be true "knockout" attacks.

The random attack of a cyclist by a group of teens in Bella Vista on Friday night was initially investigated as a "knockout game" attack, but detectives later said that was no longer the case.

During Monday's press conference, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said it's difficult to determine the difference between a "knockout" attack and a random assault. 

“These kinds of incidents are classified as either simple assault or aggravated assault, perhaps even robbery," Ramsey said. "But there have been a handful that could fall into this category of crime. We’re aggressively pursuing anyone who may be responsible for such an act. It’s occurred in other cities. We suspect it’s occurred here. But to what extent? I really don’t know. I do know it’s not something that’s widespread but we’re trying to prevent it from becoming widespread by taking action at this time.”

Officials say people should pay extra attention to their surroundings, be aware of odd body language by strangers and steer clear of constantly using mobile devices while walking.

Both Nutter and Ramsey also urged parents to talk to their kids and let them know the ramifications of participating in the "game."

"Physically assaulting someone is a crime," Nutter said. "If you commit it, we’re gonna find you, we’re gonna arrest you and you’ll more than likely go to jail.”

"Looking at what’s happened in other cities, this has been mostly school age kids, so we’ve had some conversation about making sure that this whole thing is discussed and brought up in school so that kids know that this is the kind of behavior that’s not going to be tolerated at all," Ramsey said. "Talk to your kids, pay attention to what they’re doing, who they’re hanging with. Don’t get caught up in this group thing.”

Both Nutter and Ramsey also spoke on claims from some residents that the attacks were racially motivated and consisted of African American teens attacking white people.

“We look at all the crimes in the city,” Nutter said. “If something were a hate crime, that’s an additional charge. Our primary focus is to make sure that citizens are safe. If you get assaulted, you're not gonna feel any better if you’re African American, if another African American hits you versus a white person. A hit is hit! If you bang your head on the ground I don’t think you’re really thinking about what the color was. That’s for us to kind of sort through and that goes to motive and a whole bunch of other factors."

Ramsey cited one attack that occurred back on November 11 on Verree Road as an example of why it was difficult to classify the attacks as racially motivated.

“The Verree Road situation was a white victim and white offenders," Ramsey said. "We’ve had all kinds of mixtures here so it’s really not easy to say that this is the motivation. Stupidity could be the motivation. But should we find that these attacks are because of gender bias, sexual orientation, race, or any kind of bias at all and we uncover that during the course of the investigation, we will present that as part of our investigative packet to the District Attorney for their consideration of the appropriate charges.”

Mark Cumberland, the victim of the assault on Verree Road, spoke to NBC10 Monday night. Cumberland says a group of teens randomly attacked him outside Verree Pizza.

"One of them asked me for a cigarette and when I came out of the store, they just started hitting me," Cumberland said. "I just kept being hit in the throat, face, chest, whereever. I just know my whole face was beat up."

Police eventually arrested a 15-year-old and 17-year-old teen in connection to the assault. Cumberland says he's thankful the city is taking a stand against the random attacks.

"There's going to be serious consequences to their actions," he said. "So they better watch what they do."

The final survivor to be pulled from the rubble of the Center City building collapse, Mariya Plekan, has finally shared her version of what happened on that fateful day in June as she lay buried, for hours under the crushing weight of bricks and fear, screaming for help.

In a videotaped testimony provided to her attorneys Andy Stern and Elizabeth Crawford of Philadelphia law firm Kline & Specter, Plekan recalled the moments before and after an adjacent building under demolition came tumbling down on the roof of the Salvation Army Thrift Store at 22nd and Market Street, where she had been shopping on June 5.

That morning, Plekan said she had caught the number 7 SEPTA bus to the corner of 22nd and Market Street, and did not notice any demolition work being done before she entered the store.

According to Plekan, no one told her it was unsafe to shop there or gave her any warnings that day; and it is a day, that Plekan said she remembers very well.

With the help of an interpreter, Plekan recalled seeing the building’s roof begin to collapse, and only having enough time to say, “Why,” before her legs were pinned beneath a beam and mounds of debris.

"All of a sudden I heard the noise, and all I had a chance to turn around and look and the roof went down," Plekan said.

“It was a little crack there, a blue little crack, and through that crack the light and the air was coming in. I had a hope that they will save me shortly. But it didn’t happen. And I was there for a long time. I was screaming, 'Help, help.' But nobody heard me.”

Around midnight, a firefighter pulled Plekan from the rubble after crews had been searching the site for survivors for more than 12 hours.

"I heard the dog was barking and coming up. And I started to scream 'Help' again, and the dog followed my yell," Plekan said. "And they started pulling things apart and they pulled me out."

Plekan was one of 13 survivors. The collapse killed six others.

She was later taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where she endured numerous surgeries, including the removal of both of her legs.

“It was suffering,” Plekan said of her five month hospital stay. “Constant operations…constant pain. Pain, pain, pain; and that pain is still going on.”

Plekan said she lived alone and was in perfect health before the collapse. Testimony documents included photos of Plekan enjoying trips to local museums and walking around taking pictures of historical places in the City; some of her favorite activities prior to losing her legs.

Plekan said adjusting to life as a double amputee is a daily struggle.

"Everyday I understand how hard it is to be without legs. When you cannot take care of yourself, when you constantly depend on other people to take care of you, and I do not know how to live after that because it’s so hard for me," she said.

Stern is one of two attorneys representing Plekan in a lawsuit against the Salvation Army and others involved in the collapse. He compared Plekan’s injuries to that of a soldier at war.

"She ultimately had literally half of her body removed by amputation. I'm talking about bi-lateral amputations, up to her hip. She's actually had her hip joints removed; she experienced renal failure, been on dialysis for month," Stern said.

"The type of injuries she has sustained is the type of injuries you would expect someone on a battlefield."

In August, a judge put all lawsuits resulting from the collapse on hold indefinitely pending the conclusion of a criminal grand jury investigation. Considering the severity of Plekan’s injuries, Stern filed a motion asking the judge to have Plekan's testimony preserved before trial. The judge approved that motion, but until now, Plekan was too ill to provide her testimony.

Plekan was released from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last week and is now in rehabilitation.

Twice widowed, Plekan came to the United States from the Ukraine nearly 12 years ago to care for her husband’s sick aunt. She’s been a resident of the Kensington neighborhood since 2002.

Plekan said her two children, Andrew and Natalie, who have been flying back and forth from their homes in the Ukraine to support her through the recovery process, are her strength.

"My children and my granddaughter, because of them I want to live," she said. "I want to live."

A woman is in custody after police say she abducted her 3-month-old son.

Police say 38-year-old Chantice Witherspoon was visiting her son at the Camden County Library in Voorhees Monday morning while under the supervision of an NJ Department of Child Protection & Permanency case worker. According to investigators, Witherspoon does not have custodial rights over her son.

Police say Witherspoon left the building with her son and went into a cab, leaving the area, without the case worker noticing.

Employees with the NJ DCP&P searched the area and then contacted Voorhees Police. Police contacted the cab company who claimed the driver dropped Witherspoon and her son off at the Haddonfield PATCO Station.

PATCO and Haddonfield Police then reviewed video footage and determined that Witherspoon and the child left the area on an NJ Transit bus, according to investigators. Police say NJ Transit employee Charles Ladzenski called every bus driver with routes that may have come in contact with Witherspoon and her son.

Finally, police say, through the work of all agencies involved, Witherspoon and her son were eventually found at the bus stop of the Moorestown Mall. Witherspoon was sent to JFK Crisis for evaluation and then charged with endangering the welfare of children and interference with custody. Her bail will be set at $75,000.

The baby boy is back in custody of the state.

Voorhees Police commended Ladzenski with his persistence in helping them find Witherspoon. Ladzenski responded by saying, “I just wanted to know that child was safe.”

A West Philadelphia Christian Academy diploma program shut down last week, after scrutiny over its issuance of 'one-day' diplomas to 80 out-of-state youth in foster care.

According to a report from The Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services used $40,000 in taxpayer dollars to cover the costs of a testing fee and transportation for 80 foster care youth to travel from Baltimore, Md. to the Crooked Places Made Straight Christian Academy in West Philadelphia where, in one day, the youth were awarded high school diplomas after passing a GED-like exam.

Several Baltimore-area officials questioned the use of taxpayer dollars to pay the Crooked Places  testing fee of $500 per student, which is more than triple the cost of the nationally recognized General Education Development (GED) certificate. Others questioned the validity of the diplomas since the students were not required to complete any coursework prior to taking the exam.

The school’s principal, Winona Stewart, says she didn’t know she was doing anything wrong.

"I was under the impression that if they took a test and passed it at a 12th grade level, they could have the diplomas. I was just trying to help people, that’s all; I wasn’t trying to do nothing slick," Stewart said.

Stewart shut down the program last week, after The Baltimore Sun reached out to the school's accrediting body, the National Association of Private Schools (NAPS), questioning the one-day diplomas.

According to the NAPS web site, all of its member schools must provide instruction equivalent to two semesters of a school year before issuing diplomas to students. In addition, NAPS member schools are not allowed to issue credit for tests taken apart from actual completion of credible coursework.

Last week, Executive director of the NAPS Marvin Reynolds told The Baltimore Sun that he was “saddened” by the school’s deviation from the requirements.

“We will not accredit a diploma mill,” Reynolds told the Baltimore Sun. “Otherwise our credibility would go out the window. We do not encourage schools to do that. It's just not the way things are supposed to be done.”

Today, Reynolds referred to Stewart’s issuance of one-day diplomas as a misunderstanding that the NAPS and the Crooked Places staff are working together to correct.

"The particular program she was using was falling short of the requirements,” Reynolds said. “They’re in the process of correcting that. She’s definitely wanting to do everything proper, so we’re working with her. We have the assurance that they’re going to get this mended."

Even though they did not complete the required coursework, Reynolds said diplomas issued to the 80 Baltimore youth who passed the exam will not be invalidated.

Despite criticism, Stewart cited the program as a success prior to its being shut down, and told the Baltimore Sun that she’s hopeful that the program will reopen someday.

"Maybe one day God will bless me to restart the program," she told The Baltimore Sun. "It’s a shame that you got people who are so brilliant, and they just need to go to the next level. But maybe I can do it again, and do it the right way."

Reynolds did not confirm when the school would be cleared to begin issuing diplomas again.

A young man is fighting for his life after a shooting in the Kingsessing section of the city.

• WATCH: Flames Shoot Through Roof in Darby Twp.

Police say the 19-year-old man was on 55th and Greenway when two masked gunmen opened fire.

Investigators say at least seven shots were fired from two different weapons. The man was struck at least once. Police also say a bullet struck the second floor bathroom window of a house on the corner as well as a limousine parked on the street.

Investigators also say a large quantity of drugs, believed to be crack cocaine, was found at the scene. The drugs were taken to a lab for testing.

The victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he is in critical condition. 
No arrests have been made. Police have not yet released a description of the suspects.

If you have any information on the shooting, please call Philadelphia Police.
 

Police are investigating an athletic director at a local Catholic school who allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct with a minor.

• WATCH: Coach Had Prior Sex Convictions, But  Would League Know?

Administrators at Roman Catholic High School say they received a report last week that athletic director Sean Fitzherbert engaged in inappropriate conduct via a computer with a minor who attends Father Judge High School.

Fitzherbert, who began working at Roman Catholic in July of this year, was placed on administrative leave. Officials say he was not previously employed by any Archdiocese entity.

Philadelphia Police and the Special Victims Unit are currently investigating.

Also on NBC10.com:

• Prosecutors: Coach Accused of Rape Had Other Victims
• Woman Raped, Beaten, Robbed in Center City
• School Security Accused of Sleeping With Student
   

A deer burst through the window of a frozen yogurt shop in New Jersey, causing $5,000 in damage as it slipped and slid around the store before it ran out, the owner says. 

The deer somehow broke into the front window of Peachwave Yogurt Store in Holmdel, N.J., on Oct. 14, according to the store's owner Alan Prachar. His daughter, Jen, was closing up at around 10 p.m. when she came face-to-face with it.

"I just didn't expect it to come through here," she said. 

Alan Prachar said the lights were being dimmed in the store and thinks that may be what attracted the unexpected visitor.

"Both the lights were off in the store and I think perhaps he saw his reflection in the window," he said. 

The bewildered animal proceeded to slide around on the floor as it went behind the counter and the dining area, knocking over chairs and furniture. An employee from a nearby business came to help, and the deer was shepherded out the emergency exit in the back.

"Luckily, I didn't think he was too hurt," said Jen Prachar. "Little cut, no limp." 

It wasn't immediately clear whether authorities were contacted after the deer ran out of the store.

Alan Prachar said insurance will foot the bill for damages caused by the deer. 

Friends and family of 22-year-old Ebony Talley remain in disbelief.

"She was a good person," said Talley's cousin, Dani Hodges. "She took care of her daughter. She loved her sisters and brother."

Talley, who was 6-months pregnant, and her 4-year-old daughter R'Mani Rankins were found dead inside an apartment complex in Bristol Township, Pa. following a fire.

The fire broke out at the Avalon Court Apartment Complex on the 3500 block of Bristol Oxford Valley Road -- not far from the Pennsylvania Turnpike -- Monday afternoon. Firefighters controlled the blaze shortly after.

Officials soon discovered the bodies of Talley and R'Mani, who were staying with a friend inside the complex. Talley was pronounced dead at the scene. R'Mani was taken to the hospital where she later died.

According to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, someone stabbed both Talley and her daughter and set a fire to cover it up.

"It's too fast," said Marquis Johnson, a friend of the victims. "It sounds fishy. It sounds like they were set up or something like that."

Family members believe that the person responsible must have known Talley because they would have been inside the apartment together when she was killed.

"She didn't deserve this," Hodges said. "And her daughter definitely didn't deserve this."

Bristol Police and the Bucks County District Attorney's Office investigated into the evening and said they would return to the scene Tuesday morning. They did not immediately release information on any suspects.

Officials said six people were displaced during the fire. The American Red Cross assisted them with the basic necessities.

Officials say a police chase led to the brief closure of I-95 on Monday and a drug bust after one suspect tried to dump pounds of marijuana.

Police say two state troopers stopped a vehicle on I-95 northbound Monday afternoon in Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Pa. The troopers spoke to the occupants, identified as 26-year-old Georgiette Davies of Maryland and Gary Miller, 33, of Washington DC.

After speaking with the officers, Miller allegedly grabbed the wheel and began to speed off. The two troopers went into their own vehicle and a pursuit ensued.

During the chase, police say the suspects sideswiped a car driven by a 32-year-old woman. The woman was not injured but the collision caused minor damage to her vehicle, according to investigators.

Police say the suspects finally stopped on I-95 northbound at I-676 in Center City Philadelphia. Miller then allegedly fled on foot onto Front Street as state troopers pursued. They then captured him after a short chase.

Police also say Davies exited the vehicle and threw a bag containing 8 pounds of marijuana over a guide rail. The marijuana was recovered and Davies was arrested.

Both Miller and Davies face several felony and misdemeanor charges, including drug possession.

I-95 northbound was closed briefly due to the police activity but quickly reopened.  

After a gay server at a New Jersey restaurant said a customer denied her a tip and wrote her a hateful note on the receipt, a local family contacted NBC 4 New York and said their receipt shows they paid a tip and didn't write any such note.

Dayna Morales, a former Marine and a server at Gallop Asian Bistro in Bridgewater, posted a photo on Facebook earlier this month, showing the bill with a line through the space for a tip. The photo of the receipt showed someone had written, "I'm sorry but I cannot tip because I do not agree with your lifestyle."

Morales indicated in her Facebook post, and in subsequent media interviews -- including with NBC 4 New York -- that the customer wrote that line.

But a family contacted NBC 4 New York claiming their receipt from the restaurant shows they did leave a tip, and provided what they said was a credit card statement as proof.

The husband and wife, who asked to remain anonymous, showed NBC 4 New York a receipt that appeared to be printed at the same minute, on the same date, for the same $93.55 total, except with an $18 tip. 

They also provided a document they said was a Visa bill, which appears to indicate their card was charged for the meal plus the tip, for a total of $111.55.

The couple told NBC 4 New York that they believed their receipt was used for a hoax. The wife says she is left-handed and could not have made the slash in the tip line, which she said looks to be drawn from the right.

"We've never not left a tip when someone gave good service, and we would never leave a note like that," the wife said.

The husband said he and his wife have both worked in restaurants and believe in the value of tipping, and noted that he didn't vote for Gov. Chris Christie because the governor doesn't support gay marriage.

"Never would a message like that come from us," he said.

Morales told NBC 4 New York on Monday that she was certain she did not receive a tip, and insisted the handwriting on the receipt was not hers. When asked if there had been some sort of misunderstanding, she said, "I don't know, all I know is what I've been saying."

A manager and the restaurant owner insisted they had the original ticket for the $93.55 charge, but would not produce the receipt for NBC 4 New York and could not explain why the family's credit card was charged for more.

The restaurant later said in a statement it was aware of the allegations and had no comment pending an internal investigation.

Whatever happened, the couple believes it may have begun with a misunderstanding.

They said they thought the hostess who sat the family told them their server would be "Dan," and when Morales showed up at their table, the wife exclaimed "whoa, you're not Dan."

Morales wrote in her Facebook post that the wife said, "oh I thought you were gonna say your name is Dan. You sure surprised us!"

According to the couple, the rest of the meal with their two children went fine. 

They said they came forward because the story of the receipt note didn't appear to be going away; Morales had recently announced that people were sending her tips from all over the world, and was donating some of the money to the Wounded Warrior Project.

"I just felt like people have a right to know that -- it's fine if people want to donate to her or to the Wounded Warriors, but they're doing it under a false pretense," the wife said.

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A school transport van, car and possibly two trucks crashed along a busy area highway this morning snarling traffic.

The crash backed up traffic in the westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike approaching the Fort Washington Exit in Upper Dublin Township around 8:15 a.m.

It appeared that a silver sedan crashed into the back of a white tractor-trailer causing the car to become stuck under the truck. As SkyForce10 hovered overhead, the big rig was stopped closely behind the school van, which was stopped closely behind a white box truck.

The front-end and back of the school van appeared to be damaged.

State Police say that two students in the van suffered minor injuries and were hospitalized. No one else was injured, according to police.

Police didn't say how many students were in the van and what school they attend.

Only the left lanes sneaked past the crash near mile-marker 339 causing traffic to quickly stack up for miles, said NBC10 traffic reporter Jillian Mele.

• Get the latest traffic from NBC10

No word on what caused the wreck, which took about two hours to clear.

The morning of crashes continued when a car overturned along I-95 northbound past Street Road in Bucks County around 9:20 a.m.

The holiday season officially kicks off in just a few days and with it comes the return of the once-controversial Christmas Village to Center City.

In 2010, discussions of religious diversity led to the removal of the word "Christmas" from signs at the annual holiday market event known as the Christmas Village. A day later, Mayor Michael Nutter "saved" Christmas and the old signs including the word "Christmas" were back up. That was the Village's last year at Dilworth Plaza.

Since then, LOVE Park has been home to the Christmas Village, a traditional German Christmas Market featuring more than 60 vendors in decorated booths and tents with all sorts of holiday goodies including presents, ornaments, jewerly, food and more.

Oh, and did we mention the city's official Christmas tree, thousands of lights?!

The Christmas Village opens on Thanksgiving Day and ends, for the first time ever, on New Year's Day. It's open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Admission is free.

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• Philly's Holiday Traditions, Lights Return
• Nutter Rescues "Christmas"
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