Man charged with murder, out on bail, among 52 arrested after Philly looting, rioting

An accused murderer was among one of the 52 individuals arrested in a looting spree that took place across Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.

Kenneth Frye, 24, was out on bail when he was arrested by Philadelphia police for allegedly ransacking the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store on Girard Avenue in West Philadelphia. 

In 2022, Frye allegedly killed a gay man while working as a nightclub bouncer at the Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar in Center City. Frye is accused of sucker-punching 41-year-old Eric Pope outside the club, which killed him, Fox 29 reports.

Surveillance video from the incident shows Pope dancing outside the bar when Frye approached him and gave him a hard punch to the face. Pope lost consciousness after hitting his head on the concrete and went into a coma. Pope died in the hospital a week later, according to Daily Mail.

Frye was charged with third-degree murder by Municipal Judge Karen Y. Simmons in July 2022, but Judge Lillian H. Ransom dismissed the charge and downgraded it to manslaughter in December 2022, the outlet reports.

Frye was arrested and charged with burglary for his alleged role in the mob-style ransacking that occurred throughout Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.

Following Frye's recent arrest, the District Attorney's Office filed a motion to revoke his bail in the prior case, documents show.

 

According to Fox 29, police say among the 52 arrested so far are three juveniles. Two firearms have also been recovered.

Police are also investigating an incident that occurred in Northeast Philadelphia on Tuesday night, where seven vehicles were stolen from a car lot. At least one of these vehicles has been recovered.

Furthermore, authorities are investigating the possibility that a "caravan" of vehicles was involved in the hours-long looting spree, driving from location to location across the city. Interim Commissioner John Stanford said that some of those allegedly involved in the caravan have been arrested. 

Lululemon, the Apple Store, and Footlocker in Center City were also damaged in what police called a "coordinated attack." Around 100 people, many of whom were juveniles, gathered in Center City.

The wave of looting occurred the same day a judge dismissed charges against former police officer Mark Dial in the shooting death of Eddie Irizarry. Police body camera footage shown at the hearing revealed Irizarry holding a knife as police approached his vehicle during the traffic stop.