PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After a few nights of unrest, Friday night — "Mischief Night" — was restful around Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania National Guard troops arrived Friday to protect buildings and infrastructure, after the violence that followed the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.
Guardsmen are stationed outside of City Hall and the Municipal Services Building. They are also stationed in some neighborhoods throughout the city and are there to assist police with looting or riots.
Philly police have had a lot to handle over the past several days, and the presence of the National Guard frees up the department to better respond to any incidents that might pop up.
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Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said shifts have been extended and any scheduled days off for officers have been cancelled, as it's all hands on deck for a little while.
A city-wide curfew expired at 6 a.m. and and there were no major incidents to report overnight. There's no word yet from Mayor Jim Kenney if there will be a curfew in effect tonight.
Officials have not said how long the guard will remain in place. But with the election just a few days away, some people are wondering if their presence will continue until after the election. City leaders have not made their plans immediately clear.