Six people were killed during a violent Tuesday in Philadelphia.

The violence began Tuesday afternoon on the 5500 block of Baltimore Avenue when a suspect stabbed three men, killing one and leaving the other two in stable condition.

Around 6:25 p.m., an unidentified gunman shot a 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old man on the 2100 block of Van Pelt Street. The 21-year-old, who was struck once in the neck, died from his injuries. The 22-year-old, who was struck in the left side of his forehead, is currently in critical condition.

Around 8 p.m., an unidentified man was riding a motorcycle on 24th and Morris streets when a gunman opened fire. The victim was struck at least once and died from his injuries.

At 8:18 p.m. a gunman shot a 22-year-old man on the 1400 block of N. Vodges Street. The victim was taken to Presbyterian Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:45 p.m.

At 8:30 p.m. a gunman shot a 31-year-old man once in the chest on the 2400 block of N. Hollywood Street. The victim was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:51 p.m.

Finally, a man was shot and killed on the 3100 block of Abbottsford Avenue around 9:40 p.m.

No arrests have been made in any of the murders. If you have information on any of the incidents, please call Philadelphia Police.

A former Delaware County EMT and the wife of a local fire chief is accused of sexting a teen firefighter.

Melissa Givens, 30, of Norwood, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of children, corruption of minors and other related offenses.

On February 26, police interviewed a 17-year-old junior firefighter who told investigators he and Givens had exchanged nude photos and videos. Officials found eight sexually explicit photos and two sexually explicit videos of Givens on the teen’s electronic devices, according to an affidavit. The teen also told investigators he had sent sexually explicit images of himself to Givens as well even though she knew he was under the age of 18, officials said.

Later that day, police interviewed Givens who allegedly admitted she knew the teen was a minor and that he attended school. She also said she started “getting serious” with the teen in December 2015 and was still in contact with him up to that point, according to the affidavit.

Givens told investigators the two exchanged sexually explicit pictures and videos that she saved inside a “PhotoVault” application on her phone, according to police. Givens allegedly said she did a Google search on whether or not she should be communicating with a minor but didn’t remember the results. She also told investigators she had sexually explicit conversations with the teen, according to officials.

Investigators say they found three sexually explicit pictures and two sexually explicit videos of the teen in the “PhotoVault” on Givens’ phone. They also say Givens sent naked pictures of herself to the teen on at least two occasions.

Givens was a Delaware County emergency medical technician and is also married to the Chief of the Norwood Fire Company. The Fire Company announced on their Facebook page Tuesday she was fired from her job.

Givens is free on $300,000 unsecured bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 15.
 

Police are searching for a cab driver accused of indecently assaulting a woman.

The 27-year-old woman told police she got into a blue and red Freedom Taxicab outside the Barbary Bar on the 900 block of Frankford Avenue Tuesday around 12:30 a.m. The woman said she lost her phone while inside the cab and the driver pulled over to help her find it.

As they were searching in the backseat, police say the cab driver digitally penetrated the woman.

The cab driver is described as a stocky black male standing 6-feet with black hair, between 40 and 50 years of age. He was last seen wearing a brown jacket and driving a blue and red Freedom taxicab.

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

Friends and family are mourning a New Jersey State Trooper who was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was responding to a car fire along Interstate 295 in Gloucester County.

Trooper Sean Cullen died overnight at Cooper University Hospital, New Jersey State Police said on Facebook.

The 31-year-old was among a group of fire and police personnel who had responded to a car fire that injured two people near Exit 25 on I-295 in West Deptford around 8:20 p.m. Monday. As the trooper assisted at the scene, a passing vehicle struck him.

"Trooper's down," can be heard on 911 audio obtained by NBC10.

Medics airlifted Cullen to Cooper University Hospital where doctors treated him for head injuries. Various police officers and troopers stopped by the hospital overnight to check on their colleague.

Around 12:30 a.m. state police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes told those gathered in the waiting room Tuesday that Cullen -- who joined the state police in August 2014 -- succumbed to his injuries.

"It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of Trooper Sean Cullen, who made the ultimate sacrifice while helping those in need," said Fuentes. "His life and service to the citizens of New Jersey can be characterized as honorable, loyal, and faithful."

The 22-year-old woman who struck the trooper stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, said police. Sources told NBC10 they don't believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. No charges have been filed.

Friends, family, colleagues and various officials spoke on Cullen's death.

"The sudden and tragic loss of New Jersey State Trooper Sean Cullen reminds us how fragile life truly is and the dangers police officers face daily on the job," said Gov. Chris Christie in a statement.

Cullen, a native of Ireland who graduated from Cinnaminson High School before becoming an All-American wrestler at Lycoming College, was stationed in the Bellmawr barracks after previously serving in Westhampton and Mount Holly police departments, said state police.

Cullen left behind a fiancee, 9-month-old baby boy, his parents, a sister, a brother and an older brother who is also a trooper. Cullen's fiancee is also expecting another child.

"It's hard because the guys that have family, and we know he just became a father not too long ago, I think we take it a little bit harder," said Westampton Police lieutenant Brian Ferguson while fighting back tears.

Cullen began his law enforcement career with the Sea Isle City Police Department in 2006.

Best friend Andrew Einstein called Cullen the "Jim Carey of our small community," someone who made people feel better through laughter. He also said Cullen wanted so badly to be a trooper and worked his way through multiple police academies to get to his goal.

Troopers who worked directly with Cullen were given some time off -- covered by other troopers -- so they could grieve, said state police spokesman Steven Jones. Troopers could also be seen lowering the flag outside the Bellmawr barracks to half staff Tuesday morning.

It wasn't clear the extent of injuries to the people involved in the original crash.

The wreck left the stretch of I-295 closed for hours but the roadway reopened overnight.

A fire at a facility in Colwyn, Delaware County spread to more than one dozen cars and a building Tuesday night as firefighters spent hours battling the inferno.

The two-alarm fire started at the Ellis Business Plaza on 522 Ellis Avenue around 11 p.m.. At least 15 cars caught fire and flames spread to a nearby building as more than 100 firefighters -- up to 150 people -- battled back the flames.

Firefighters had a water supply issue that led to crews re-positioning to attack the fire from above, said Darby Fire Chief Daniel Traband.

Firefighters got the blaze under control between 2 to 3 a.m.

Amazingly no one was hurt. People living nearby did however need to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the fumes.

"Hazmat was called because there was a cloud in the area and it was unknown what was burning inside the building," said Traband. "Hazmat did declare everything was safe."

Officials have not yet determined a cause. Several witnesses reported hearing the sound of an explosion during the fire and firefighters said it felt like the earth shook.

Hand-in-hand with his wife on the other side of the world, nothing about the place MLB pitcher Cole Hamels was standing felt comfortable, but the moment he saw the wide-eyed little girl, he knew he was where he was supposed to be.

"It was just kind of crazy," Hamels remembers. "I was like, 'I can’t believe that’s my daughter.'"

A dream planned out almost a decade before was now being realized in a courthouse in the middle of Ethiopia.

"I think she was hesitant to tell me at first," Cole says of his wife, Heidi, who competed on "Survivor: The Amazon" and revealed when the couple was dating her hopes to someday adopt internationally. "I was completely into it. It was something that I never thought about, because my focus was in a million other directions. But when I sat down and thought about it, I thought it was an absolutely amazing experience and opportunity for us to do."

The soon-to-be-named Reeve Hamels had been left in a field as a six-month old by parents who did not have the means to provide for her. A local orphanage had taken her in. Now, she was being adopted by an American family with a father known for dominating America’s pastime.

"At first, you’re thinking of all what-ifs, the alarms, what people are going to think," the Texas Rangers left-hander said. "And then, when you really sit down and think about it, you think this is my life. This is our life together. We’re going to live it the way that we choose."

It was a process that had originally crawled along (the Hamels had waited six years for the call), but had now shifted to shockingly fast-moving.

"It’s all of a sudden, 'Hey, you need to be (in Ethiopia) in three days,'" Cole remembered. "You have a court date, and you see your daughter for the first time the day before, and you only have two hours with her. And it’s a beautiful country, and the people are incredible.

"But it’s a whirlwind."

After completing the enormous stacks of paperwork required ("it's encyclopedia-like, man.") and overcoming the initial challenges of visiting a country they had never been to before, the Hamels quickly saw why everyone at the orphanage raved about little Reeve.

"That smile that she has," Cole says, shaking his head. "She’s blown us away every day. She’s been an absolutely amazing daughter. She’s an amazing sister to our two boys. They can’t imagine her not being their sister and she can’t imagine not having two older brothers."

Cole doesn’t hide that Heidi’s passion for helping international orphans inspires him. In fact, it is what fuels his Hamels Foundation, which just opened a school in Malawi, Africa, which will help educate an estimated 2,000 orphans.

That same passion also gave him his little girl, who now three years later, admittedly provides similar toddler challenges to her older brothers — "The terrible threes are a real thing" — but has changed the Hamels’ family in an incredible way forever.

"We can’t imagine our life without her," the former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher said. "She is loved so much more than I think she could possibly ever understand and she is going to be protected probably more than she could ever understand."

A speeding car crashed into a Philadelphia business and burst into flames, leaving a man dead amid questions about all the McDonald’s gear in the car.

The 2014 Infiniti sedan crashed into poles and buildings along Cecil B Moore Avenue near N 2nd Street just before 1:30 a.m.

The car was traveling at a very high-rate of speed east on Cecil B Moore Avenue when the driver lost control as the car jumped a curb, struck a small tree, tore two streets lights and one traffic light out of the ground, and then struck a building before going back across the street and coming to rest against a business.

"The vehicle was fully engulfed in flames," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Firefighters doused the flames to make a grisly discovery.

"After distinguishing the fire they discovered that there was a body, appears to be that of a male... the body is burnt beyond recognition," said Small. "(The car) just looks like a piece of twisted steel, it has so much damage to it that it's hard to even tell that it was a car, that's how bad it's damaged."

As police worked to find out who died behind the wheel, they also investigated a debris trail that linked the crash to a McDonald’s restaurant.

"The impact was very, very violent... it caused many parts of the vehicle to continue about 100 feet east on Cecil B Moore," said Small.

Some that debris included hundreds of McDonald's gift cards, electronic devices from the fast-food chain and hundreds of McD’s cups still in the packaging, said Small.

"We're checking the area McDonald's -- especially the ones in the neighborhood that we know are open 24 hours -- we are just going to ask if any the employees have a 2014 Infiniti vehicle," said Small.

Due to the damage, investigators couldn't tell the age of the driver but they did however run the tag and discover that it's registered to a home outside the city.

The body would need to be taken inside the car to the medical examiner's office since there is so much damage to the car, said Small.

Witnesses and surveillance cameras could help police figure out what happened.

"We don't know why the individual was traveling at such a high-rate of speed," said Small.

A family took to GoFundMe to raise money for a new car after their vehicle was stolen and destroyed.

Charles, an Iraq veteran who suffers from PTSD, struggled to find a job until he met Jessica. Jessica, who had some troubles of her own, says she and Charles struggled to make ends meet when she lost her job after her company shutdown. But Charles’ Chevrolet Cobalt consistently helped them through their tough times, Jessica said. The Cobalt was especially useful after Jessica found out she was pregnant, and due mid-March.

But the two faced a new obstacle together on March 2, just a couple weeks before Jessica was due, when Charles’ Cobalt was stolen from outside of their apartment complex. The vehicle was found almost 24 hours later, Jessica wrote on the GoFundMe page, but was “unrecoverable.” Jessica says the car was a mile off a main road and stuck in mud in the woods. The car's windshields were broken, engine blown and body damaged.

“With our finances completely limited we struggle to make ends meet on some if not most days,” Jessica wrote.

Jessica and Charles decided to create the GoFundMe page to raise money for a new car. Now, after just two days, the family is well on their way to reaching their goal.

“We are so thankful and grateful for that we can’t even describe it,” Jessica said.

Charles says although he doesn’t like asking for help, he is overwhelmed by all the people willing to help his family.

“I feel blessed knowing there are complete strangers out there who want to help my family recover from this tragedy,” he said.

Jessica says although they are busy preparing for the baby, they are grateful for the opportunity to get a new car.

Abington Township Police warned the public of scam artists posing as fire inspectors and charging cash for services.

According to a bulletin from the Abington Township Fire Marshal, the suspects typically enter a business claiming to be inspectors. They then charge anywhere from $20 to $200 in cash to do an inspection of fire extinguishers and fire alarm systems, and warn of the township shutting down the business if they don’t comply.

The Fire Marshal says all real employees will wear official uniforms and carry photo ID cards. More so, the employees will never demand cash payment for services.

The Fire Marshal lists these steps to help businesses avoid falling victim to these scams:
1. Be familiar with the township fire inspection requirements and procedures
2. Educate all employees to minimize susceptibility to scams
3. Request identification from all service providers entering your business
4. Report all suspicious activity to law enforcement (911)

For more information or if you have any questions, you may contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 267-536-1088.

Philadelphia Police Wednesday named the man seen in all black, including a unique hat, who they say shot a 19-year-old several times inside a Philadelphia fast-food eatery Sunday, police said.

Police say Ronald "Roland" Graham -- a man in his 50s or 60s who wore a black trench coat, black pants, glasses and a black Fedora, was eating inside the Church's Chicken restaurant at N Broad Street and Erie Avenue in North Philly around 5:25 p.m. Sunday when he suddenly became enraged, pulled out a gun and opened fire.

Three bullets struck a 19-year-old employee. Medics took him a couple blocks to Temple University Hospital in stable condition.

Police said the teen had stepped in to try and calm an altercation between his brother -- who also works at the restaurant -- and the hat-wearing man. The man left the store before coming back moments later and opening fire.

After releasing video of the suspect, police learned of Graham's identity but they haven't been able to track him down.

Investigators asked anyone who know of Graham's location to call 215-686-3353/54 or 911. Tips can also be submitted online.

The brother of NBA player Dion Waiters was one of six people killed during a violent Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Waiters, a Philadelphia native who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, shared the news of the passing of his brother on his Instagram page overnight. (DISCLAIMER: The following post contains profanity)

Waiters, who graduated from Live Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey, didn't name his brother but did post a photo of the brother with a dirt bike. A spokesperson for the Thunder confirmed with NBC10 that Waiters' brother is 21-year-old Demetrius Pinckney.

“We were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Dion's brother, and he has our full support," wrote Sam Presti, the Thunder's Executive Vice President and General Manager. "Dion and his family are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

Shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday, Pinckney of N 22nd Street, died during what witnesses told investigators appeared to be an argument and chase between numerous people riding dirt bikes and ATVs. While in the vicinity of 24th and Morris streets a gunman opened fire, causing Pinckney to fall off his bike. He died on the scene. A second man, 20, suffered gunshot wounds to his thigh and buttocks, police said. It was one of several violent incidents in Philadelphia Tuesday.

The violence began around 2:30 p.m. on the 5500 block of Baltimore Avenue when a suspect stabbed three men, killing one and leaving the other two in stable condition.

Around 6:25 p.m., an unidentified gunman shot 21-year-old Quadir Whitney and an unidentified 22-year-old man along the 2100 block of Van Pelt Street. Whitney, who was struck once in the neck, died from his injuries. The 22-year-old, who was struck in the left side of his forehead, was listed in critical condition Wednesday.

Around 8:15 p.m. a gunman shot 22-year-old Trevor Bouknight on the porch of a home along the 1400 block of N. Vodges Street. Bouknight, who lived along W Girard Avenue, died a short time later at the hospital. Police said drugs appeared to be the motive for the attack.

At 8:30 p.m. a gunman shot Phillip Miller, who lived on the block, once in the chest along the 2400 block of N. Hollywood Street. The 31-year-old victim died a short time later at Temple University Hospital.

Finally, an unidentified man was shot in the body, head and face along the 3100 block of Abbottsford Avenue around 9:40 p.m. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police didn't immediately arrest anyone in any of the shootings. They did however track down the suspect wanted in the deadly stabbing along Baltimore Avenue and recovered a knife, said investigators.

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

St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching and Philadelphia looks like a pretty good place to be for the holiday.

WalletHub released their list of the best and worst cities for Saint Patty’s Day celebrations, and Philadelphia came in close to the top, ranking as the #4 overall best city to be in for the day. Philly was beat by Boston, Massachusetts, Buffalo, New York, and Omaha, Nebraska.

You can party more for less in Philly, too. The city ranked #2 for the lowest average party ticket price.

You can even get into a bar crawl for free in Philadelphia. The Erin Express is a St. Patty’s Day bar crawl that has 10+ buses shuttling party-goers through the city. This year, the Erin Express took place on March 5 and will take place again March 12. To join, all you have to do is go to a participating bar and hop on the bus. For a list of participating bars, click here.

Funeral services have been scheduled for a New Jersey state trooper killed this week when he was struck by a passing motorist while he was on the scene of a car fire.

A Life Celebration and viewing for 31-year-old Sean Cullen will be held Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Monday morning from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Saint Borromeo Church located at Branch Pike and Pomona Roadin Cinnaminson. The funeral service will follow there at noon.

Internment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson.

Cullen was among a group of fire and police personnel who had responded to a car fire near Exit 25 on I-295 in West Deptford around 8:20 p.m. Monday. As the trooper assisted at the scene, a passing vehicle struck him.

He was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital where he later died.

Cullen left behind a fiance, 9-month-old baby boy, his parents, a sister, a brother and an older brother who is also a trooper.