More scary activity along the Schuylkill River Trail in Plymouth Township

**billy ross** · 09-13-2012, 10:38 PM

Suburban Philly police officer killed, gunman shot dead

There have been continual problems with criminal behavior in this section of the township, which strikes me as desolate as opposed to a 'bad area'. I don't understand why they can't clearly communicate to bad guys that they need to stay away from there.

**Jayfar** · 09-13-2012, 10:46 PM

And over 4 hours later train service is still suspended on the Manayunk/Norristown line. I couldn't get to work for 3rd shift at Spring Mill, but no matter because my 2nd shift coworker, also dependent on the train, wouldn't have been able to get home either, so he'll pull a double.

EDIT:

Wow, no trains until *after* 8am. That's a heck of a crime scene investigation, considering the perp is already dead and won't need to be prosecuted.

ReadyNotifyPA phila_ZJE@phila.alertpa.org
11:25 PM (25 minutes ago)

to users
Norristown: Service will not be available until after 8 am due to investigation. Alternate service suggestions are available online.

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**hkp** · 09-14-2012, 12:31 AM

I heard from reliable sources that the area is paradise. I highly doubt the information in those links. Must've happened in the NE.

**Jayfar** · 09-14-2012, 08:27 AM

Amazingly, the Manayunk/Norristown train is still shut down for the continuing investigation of the shooting that happened around 6 last evening, over 14 hours ago. They apparently want to very painstakingly prepare their case against the dead perp.

SEPTA | Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Regional Rail:
Manayunk/Norristown: Service will not be available until further notice due to a police investigation.

Details still sketchy in slaying of suburban officer

**MetalDeth81** · 09-14-2012, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Amazingly, the Manayunk/Norristown train is still shut down for the continuing investigation of the shooting that happened around 6 last evening, over 14 hours ago. They apparently want to very painstakingly prepare their case against the dead perp.

Well, ya know how it goes. Any Regular Joe and it's a 3 hour cursory investigation (especially since the suspect is dead). But if it's one of their own, it goes to a whole other level.

**Debbie1125** · 09-14-2012, 09:03 AM

The man's wife has one child and is pregnant with another.........yet you are whining because of the inconvenience of the train being suspended because the investigation is still going on.

Unbelievable.

**NickleDimer** · 09-14-2012, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

The man's wife has one child and is pregnant with another.........yet you are whining because of the inconvenience of the train being suspended because the investigation is still going on.

Unbelievable.

Hop on your bikes. It's a beautiful day to hit the SRT.
Where exactly did this happen? Before or after the conshohocken station?

**billy ross** · 09-14-2012, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by NickleDimer

Hop on your bikes. It's a beautiful day to hit the SRT.
Where exactly did this happen? Before or after the conshohocken station?

I'm pretty sure it happened by that desolate stretch of the trail behind the steel plant, where the kids were hanging out attacking people and stealing their bikes, and where the guy got locked up for shooting at the kids who stole his bike as they skedaddled. Broken windows theory, anyone?

I don't understand why SEPTA couldn't have run the trains from a certain station while they were waiting to go the whole way. Miquon, Spring Mill, or Conshy to CC would have worked fine.

Also, this event occurred in Plymouth Township. Your knowledge of the boundaries out that way should tell you where the R6 and the SRT go through Plymouth. It isn't a huge stretch - between the boroughs of Conshohocken and Norristown. Downstream of Conshy is Whitemarsh and then Philly, at least along the river.

**Jayfar** · 09-14-2012, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

The man's wife has one child and is pregnant with another.........yet you are whining because of the inconvenience of the train being suspended because the investigation is still going on.

Unbelievable.

Not whining at all. I have no idea what you're talking about. I got out of going in to work (and I'd been clocking way too much overtime in the past month anyway). Then again, my co-worker who consequently got stuck working a more than double shift may feel differently. I was just remarking my amazement at the duration of the train shutdown and crime scene investigation, 14-1/2 hours, and that SEPTA hadn't come up with a work-around, such as running to Miquon (as Billy has suggested and as they've done in the past during floods).

**O.H. Lee** · 09-14-2012, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by MetalDeth81

Well, ya know how it goes. Any Regular Joe and it's a 3 hour cursory investigation (especially since the suspect is dead). But if it's one of their own, it goes to a whole other level.

Give me a break. In the chaos of the shooting and manhunt, no one is absolutely positive of who or how many are involved. So the area is shut down. You would be the first one condemning the police if another shoot out took place and a passing train was hit.

**Preesi** · 09-14-2012, 04:40 PM

I think this goes deeper than a simple hit and run

**Hospitalitygirl** · 09-14-2012, 09:52 PM

Can I just point out that when this happens in Philadelphia, non-Philadelphians are quick to point out what a shi+hole Philadelphia is. And when this happens in the surrounding suburbs, many (just look at Philly.com) are only too happy to offer condolences. Except those that don't read the details and just assume it happened in Philadelphia (again, see philly.com)

**Preesi** · 09-14-2012, 09:59 PM

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id...77&pid=8809947

Cop killer was suspect in fiancee's disappearance

**Debbie1125** · 09-14-2012, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jayfar

SEPTA hadn't come up with a work-around, such as running to Miquon (as Billy has suggested and as they've done in the past during floods).

I was actually wondering the same thing myself. I remember when the tracks were flooded in the past, the trains only went as far as either Spring Mill or Miquon and from there back to Center City.

Then again SEPTA isn't the best at spur of the moment planning.

**billy ross** · 09-14-2012, 10:52 PM

The bad guy in this case seems like a real bad guy all around. I can't resist pointing out that he is a supposedly elite Lower Merion High School graduate and up until yesterday a LM resident. Anyone who knows me knows that I've always felt that that school is extremely overrated, and this case doesn't weaken my argument. While we're all capable of committing both good and evil, neither comes out of a vacuum. People who commit heinous crimes have by definition spent too much time in morally unhealthy circumstances, circumstances which are corrosive to the soul. Even if you're going to argue that one instance does not a trend make, my response would be twofold. One is that any system that produced even only one of this type of monster is ipso facto highly imperfect, contrary to popular opinion. Two is that he is not alone among LM people in his deep moral corruption. I've been watching for years, and the pattern continues. The love of money (and I'll add power) truly is the root of all evil, and the systems and culture which surround us affect us for better or for ill.

I also want to say that the SRT seems to have been merely coincidental in this circumstance. This was a case of a cop doing his job who ran across a desperate man. I hope the cop's survivors sue the perp's family for facilitating obviously criminal behavior by sheltering and abetting a monster instead of demanding prosocial behavior.

**PhilaCap** · 09-15-2012, 07:18 AM

LMHS breeds murderers!!

Your comment is assinine.

**billy ross** · 09-15-2012, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by PhilaCap

LMHS breeds murderers!!

Your comment is assinine.

No less asinine than is the prevailing wisdom, which is that LMHS is an amazing school and that parents absolutely MUST make every sacrifice so that they can send their kids to that benighted place. I deal with very many people in my line of work, and it blew me away when I realized how many pathetically small-minded, self-centered human beings came out of that place. There must be something in the water, or more likely in the cultural mores there. There are winners that come out of there, too, but by no means is the output even.

**PhilaCap** · 09-15-2012, 08:15 AM

Small-minded people can come from any school, take yourself for example.

LMHS is a fine school. Sounds like you might be jealous.

**Jayfar** · 09-15-2012, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by PhilaCap

LMHS breeds murderers!!

Your comment is assinine.

Billy has a point. Just one infamous example:

The Main Line Murders - Two Sues and Bill - Crime Library on truTV.com

**O.H. Lee** · 09-15-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by billy ross

.....

I also want to say that the SRT seems to have been merely coincidental in this circumstance. This was a case of a cop doing his job who ran across a desperate man. I hope the cop's survivors sue the perp's family for facilitating obviously criminal behavior by sheltering and abetting a monster instead of demanding prosocial behavior.

I agree that the SRT location is just coincidental and not an issue of out of control crime.

But what exactly more would you have wanted Thomas' family to have done? He was a suspect in a decade old cold case that the authorities couldn't charge him in. How does his family (if there is any) demand prosocial (is this a real word) of him?