The 1985 MOVE bombing, locally known by its date, May 13, 1985, was the aerial bombing of a house, and the destruction of 61 more houses by the subsequent fire, in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, by the Philadelphia Police Department during an armed battle with MOVE, a black liberation organization. MOVE members shot at Philadelphia police who had come to evict them from the house they were using as their headquarters. Philadelphia police aviators then dropped two explosive devices from a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter onto the roof of the house, which was occupied at the time. For 90 minutes, the Philadelphia Police Department allowed the resulting fire to burn out of control, destroying 61 previously evacuated neighboring houses over two city blocks and leaving 250 people homeless. Six adults and five children were killed in the attack; two occupants of the house, one adult and one child, survived. A lawsuit in federal court found that the city used excessive force and violated constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
Police bombed MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, killing six adults and five children, and destroying the homes of 250 city residents.
On May 13, in the year 1985, Police bombed MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, killing six adults and five children, and destroying the homes of 250 city residents. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of May 13, a notable event in this corner of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on May 13, 1985 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
- The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
- Wikipedia source last updated on 30 April 2026.
On This Date in History
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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