MENU
SEARCHThe accused immediately denied it, but to no avail. Mitchell and the mosque's imam carried the accused down a flight of stairs to the backyard of the mosque.
Booking photo of Merv Mitchell, AKA: Mabul Shoatz (Photo: Philadelphia PD)
A leader at a West Philadelphia mosque was arrested for allegedly trying to chop off the hand of a member accused of stealing money from prayer jars, police said Friday.
Merv Mitchell, 37, was arrested Thursday night when police executed a search warrant at Masjid Ar-Razaqq Ul-Karim in the 1100 block of North 63rd Street, Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives told Philly.com .
The attack happened after a prayer service Monday morning. Mitchell, also known as C, accused the 46-year-old mosque member of the theft.
The accused immediately denied it, but to no avail. Mitchell and the mosque's imam carried the accused down a flight of stairs to the backyard of the mosque, a converted house, where Mitchell also lives, Walker said.
They put the victim's wrist on a log, and Mitchell reportedly picked up a two-foot-long machete and "swung at [the accused's] wrist, cut through his skin, and cut his tendons, but didn't make it all the way" because the blade was dull, Walker said.
Join POLICE as we visit with Steve Atkinson of Traka and learn about the company’s asset management cabinets and key lockers.
Read More →
Team Wendy shared data about DREW, a biofidelic helmet-test rig built to simulate real head-to-ground falls and capture both linear and rotational head motion, during the recent Personal Armour Systems Symposium in Belgium.
Read More →
The 2026 US Police and Fire Championships, featuring more than 35 Olympic-style events and new competitions, will return to San Diego, California.
Read More →
In honor of National First Responders Day, FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends will host a live audience made up of first responders and their families. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel have been invited to attend the live program.
Read More →
Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.
Read More →
Last week, during IACP 2025, Axon unveiled what it called the next evolution of its connected public safety ecosystem. Key launches included Prepared by Axon, new Axon Assistant and Axon Air Drone as First Responder (DFR) capabilities, and Community Shield and Community Link.
Read More →
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with a yellow headline that reads When Do You Transport a Wounded Officer Instead of Waiting for EMS?
Read More →
The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.
Read More →
Streamlight has launched the Wedge SL, an ultra-thin, USB-C rechargeable light designed for users who want pocketable power.
Read More →
Watch expanded coverage of IACP 2025 as the POLICE Magazine team walks the aisles at the expo and shares what we found interesting on display for chiefs from across the country and around the world this week in Denver, Colorado.
Read More →