Early on the morning of February 10, 2025, a double homicide in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tainted the city’s Super Bowl celebrations. At the crime scene, police found two dead men and evidence of at least 55 gunshots fired. A weapon was also recovered from the vicinity.
The deadly incident happened at 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of Adams Avenue and Claridge Street in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood, about five miles from the center of the downtown festivities.
Following numerous 911 calls, police arrived to find Rudy Reyes, 30, dead in the passenger seat of a Jeep SUV. The body of Wesley Toribio-Diaz, 32, was found beside the vehicle.
Surveillance video captured a white sedan pulling up next to the victims’ SUV before two individuals stepped out and started shooting. The Jeep was hit over 20 times, with evidence markers scattered all over the street. The suspects managed to escape in the white sedan, last seen near Adams Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, according to police.
The double homicide took place amid widespread violence and destruction following the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The police reported around 18 arrests and issued 29 citations for disorderly conduct during one of the most destructive sports celebrations in the city’s recent history.
Downtown Philadelphia was the epicenter of the mayhem, with Market and Broad Streets around City Hall seeing significant destruction. Vandals caused considerable damage to several businesses, including Santander Bank, Chase Bank, Free People store, and Brooks Brothers. Security footage showed crowds breaking windows, looting merchandise, and police struggling to maintain order.
The Philadelphia Police Department deployed additional forces, including mounted and bicycle units, throughout the night. Despite these efforts, four city sanitation trucks and multiple police vehicles were destroyed by the rioters.
The disorder intensified near 12th and Market streets when a crowd hijacked a linen-filled delivery truck. The linens were scattered across the intersection and set ablaze, causing a large fire that necessitated an emergency response. Firefighters found it challenging to reach the scene due to the dense crowds.
A total of five police officers were injured during confrontations with the crowds, which led to arrests for assault on law enforcement. Two more individuals face charges of aggravated assault, and others were charged with reckless endangerment.
This violence echoed the unrest during the NFC Championship celebrations two weeks earlier, when a shooting injured a 20-year-old man near Broad and Spring Garden streets. Police later arrested Amere Wright, 18, in connection with that incident and seized his clothes, cell phone, and a loaded handgun.
Infrastructure damage from the Super Bowl celebration included at least five traffic light poles uprooted from their bases. Groups were seen carrying the poles near historic sculptures on security cameras. Bus shelters and street signs were extensively damaged, and several building exteriors were vandalized.
The Philadelphia Fire Department responded to numerous fires set using stolen property and debris. The department recorded six instances where crowds obstructed emergency response vehicles.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center, activated for the Super Bowl celebrations, coordinated responses between police, fire, and emergency medical services throughout the night. Despite pre-emptive measures like greasing light poles and increasing police presence, the authorities had a tough time controlling the chaos across various city sectors.
The victory parade on Friday, February 14, 2025, proceeded along Broad Street through Center City. Police officials announced plans for heightened security measures, including additional officers and barricades along the parade route.
As for the double homicide, investigators are still processing evidence from the scene, including surveillance footage and ballistic samples. No suspects have been identified, and a motive has yet to be established.
