On this date-1985: Philly police drop a bomb on black nationalist HQ, destroy 61 homes

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On this date - May 13, 1985 - Philadelphia Police dropped a bomb from a helicopter on a home owned by radical black nationalist group MOVE, destroying the house, killing 5 adults and 6 children, and causing a fire that burned down 61 black middle class homes.



Prior to dropping the bomb, over 500 police officers fired more than 10,000 rounds into a house known to contain women and children. Finally, police commissioner Gregore J. Sambor ordered the dropping of the bomb, which had been "loaned" to the police by the FBI.


The ensuing fire burned down a fairly well-off black neighborhood in West Philly, leaving 250 people homeless


Firefighters were standing by, but declined to put out the blaze until it had burned down much of the neighborhood. They later claimed they had not been ordered to put it out

Ironically, it had been complaints from the African American neighbors about the MOVE House that had prompted police action in the first place

Because bombing on a civilian home was clearly illegal, the bomb was euphemistically called an "entry device" in police records. However, an inquiry later found the bombing totally unjustified, stating that "Dropping a bomb on an occupied house was unconscionable."

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