PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council on Thursday passed a resolution asking for a $20,000 reward to be offered for information on the fire-bombing of a Harrowgate block captain’s home, after the victim herself addressed Council members.
"The entire reason this resolution is even a topic is failed leadership," Sonja Brigham conveyed, with harsh words and an ominous warning for city officials in light of the attempted arson at her home in September.
“We the residents in the Kensington-Harrowgate area have been tasked with the responsibility of policing our own communities, which has left us as targets. We are your first layer of leadership within the community. We are an extension of who you are," she said.
"If you do not send a clear message that this type of act will not be tolerated against leaders in the community, you all are next. It’s been proven by the homelessness and opioid epidemic that is now spilling out into the rest of the city. Be forewarned, if we are fair game, you are next."
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No one was physically harmed, but Brigham’s son was home at the time of the arson attempt.
Brigham believes it was retaliation for her attempt to fight drug trafficking in the area.
"We live in a billion dollar drug business here in Kensington and Harrowgate, and we don’t seem to be getting the resources we need so regular community members are trying to keep drug dealers off their block," Brigham's neighbor Darlene Burton shared.
"My friend Sonja is one such community member, and for her efforts, her house got firebombed. Someone literally tried to kill her and her children."
The resolution passed unanimously.
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Also at Thursday’s session, Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson introduced, and then withdrew, a resolution to investigate the return of three children to an abusive parent in 2015 by a child welfare agency working for the city.
He withdrew the resolution at the request of Councilmembers David Oh and Cindy Bass. They have been holding hearings on the opposite issue, children being removed from parents suspected of abuse.
Oh has been pursuing that issue ever since he was interviewed by a social worker after accidentally breaking his son’s arm.
