MOVE House Bombing TV News Coverage from May 13, 1985

This is television news coverage of the MOVE house bombing that occurred on May 13, 1985 in West Philadelphia. This footage was digitized from a 35 year old Betamax video tape, keep that in mind while watching and don't expect HD quality.

[@monroemitchell8175]

The fact he got all 3 channels is an accomplishment in this dark event on Mother's Day May, 13, 1985. 11 people died, 5 children, 61 homes ruined and over 250 residents left homeless. You left us a significant piece of history here. We thank you.

[@SouthFLSteve]

I'm glad you and others found it useful. Such a dark day in Philly history should not be forgotten.

[@monroemitchell8175]

@@SouthFLSteve it should be not be swept up under the rug. People can discuss Waco but not Move is disheartening. I know both are two totally different things yet both had the same outcome ultimately. Never seen a residential neighborhood get bombed since anywhere in the US by police to hit one row home.

[@samfranks9468]

@@monroemitchell8175 Wilson Bad should be in jail!!

[@michaelblaine6494]

I was 5 years old but it’s still clear as day. I was about 3 miles away but at the time I thought it was in my backyard(there’s no actual yard there)

[@mayhemk8927]

Thank you! It's so hard to find news footage!

[@danspizzacorner9711]

They need to make a movie about “MOVE” especially this fateful day in Philadelphia history

[@kelleynelson8059]

There is in fact a very good documentary about this called 'Let the Fire Burn', which is collected from news footage, material from the public hearings about the events of that day and other primary source material.

[@jimthompson8947]

Hollywood doesn't have enough blank rounds or squibs on hand

[@richardgazinia5482]

Thank you for posting this. I've looked high and low for TV coverage from that day. I was able to sit on my grandmother's back porch in Yeadon and see the smoke from across Cobbs Creek that evening.

[@petierican6079]

Thank you for sharing this information with us the viewers

[@amberdavis7481]

Thank you for sharing.

[@needtashow]

Quality is pretty excellent considering the medium.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

I was 13 years old when this happened and even at that age I was appalled that an American city could and would drop a bomb on it's citizens. There could've been a much more peaceful solution to this conflict.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ButterfatFarms I truly believe Chicago would've handled it better than Philadelphia did. It was no need for innocent children to lose their lives and a large portion of a neighborhood to burn to the ground.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ButterfatFarms What would YOU have done? What about all those families who lost their homes who had nothing to do with the MOVE/Philadelphia conflict? First of all Chicago would've eradicated that problem at the first compound before they moved to Osage.

[@SuperBigdaddywood]

Winning hearts and minds!

[@bobod346]

My heart goes out to all the members who lost their lives that day and all the families who lost their belongings I can stop vividly remember hearing the gun shots and later watching and smelling the smoke from my front porch I still go and visit the sight every year around mother's day

[@Biscuit1973]

I remember watching this story back in 1985 when I was the 12 years old because this was all over the local news plus worldwide during the time that a radical group called Move was refusing to surrender to the Police but instead having chopper drop an explosive package into the bunker causing a fire that killed everyone inside including children but there were a couple of survivors which were later arrested then the fire destroyed 61 houses on the block sometime later on because that was an Esther Shocker back then .

[@tracyrollins6796]

Hey there!... Can you tell me what an Esther Shocker is??? Thanks in advance

[@Biscuit1973]

Is there anybody reading these comments on KZbin because I’ve just spotted a young beautiful Diane Allen or somebody who wants worked for channel 10 news back in the 90s because I was then a 12 year old back in 1985 during the time when this incident had happened because I was then living on 5108 Hazel Ave. when I can see the smoke floating from 62nd and Osage Avenue coming into my neighborhood and this is right after a package had been dropped onto this bunker, causing an explosion in which the fire devastated and destroyed over 60 houses and killing 11 people but I remember two people had gotten down and one of them was a 12 year old boy and the other was a 40Something. You’re a woman who suffered minor burns and refuse treatment because I remember this incident over 35 years ago.

[@vandalladnav8386]

Hello :) I was wondering if it was possible to get your permission to use some of this footage for a documentary I am making about Move and Mumia. I am a film maker in Philadelphia and any help would be greatly appreciated, I would like to share with you as well.

[@SouthFLSteve]

Sure you can, just give me credit.

[@vandalladnav8386]

@@SouthFLSteve you are awesome thank you so much!!!

[@kylecole9433]

I was actually thinking about getting into making documentaries because of watching this. Really think people outside of Philly don't really know what this group was about for better or worse.

[@monroemitchell8175]

Birdie Africa was a 13 year old boy yet they were calling him an unidentified 9 year old boy SMH

[@jimfleece2880]

As if that changes anything

[@kylecole9433]

3:01:38 You probably shouldn't have dropped a bomb then if you didn't know they had flammable devices there. That's stupid.

[@realmccoy]

Always the same kinda ppl

[@Arturo-sm1tb]

A disgusting, most disturbing, racist episode in American domestic history. Unbelievable that this could ever happen in this 21st century modern era. Most disturbing is that no one went to jail for this domestic terroristic attack on American citizens.

[@monroemitchell8175]

The city let it burn. They should have been held responsible. So this killed really 261 people. 11 literal and 250 emotionally. C'mon dropping a bomb in a black neighborhood is unconscionable in itself. Then UPenn had the bones of 2 deceased kids of that fire and the medical director cremated remains without notifying the family. It's really sad.

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ButterfatFarms You AGAIN??..... Tell us what would YOU have done if you were in control at Philly PD, FD or Wilson Goode??

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

@@ButterfatFarms Just a troll with no content. Find something constructive to do instead of criticizing others comments.

[@callmemonkh9020]

The people were trying to ESCAPE from the rear of the house, when the fire had began to grow...and the police fired on them. A man was surrendering with a child in his arms : THE CHILD WAS KILLED IN HIS ARMS. HE RETREATED INTI THE GARAGE WITH HIS DEAD SON IN HIS ARMS. THRRE WAS A racist vendetta AGAINST MOVE. THEY IMMOLATED THESE PEOPLE, ALIVE.