Back to normal in neighborhood scarred by cop killing

Life this morning was back to normal in the North Philadelphia neighborhood where a shootout yesterday claimed the life of a popular Philadelphia police officer and left another seriously injured.

Children stood at the corner of Dauphin and Colorado Streets waiting for their school bus. A nearby daycare opened its doors on time.

There were no makeshift memorials on Colorado Street for Officer Patrick McDonald, an 8-year veteran who was gunned down by a convicted felon after a traffic stop.

There was plenty of evidence, however, that remained of yesterday's horrific events.

A blood outline of torso could still be seen in the middle of 17th Street where McDonald's killer, Daniel Giddings, died moments after a 1:45 p.m. gun battle with Officer Richard Bowes.

Buildings, pockmarked by stray bullets, stood in silent witness across from the children's bus stop.

At the Smilie Faces Daycare Center, on 17th and Susquehanna Streets, director Gloria Stuart this morning recalled hearing a swarm of police vehicles descend on the neighborhood.

Fourteen children were inside the daycare at 1:45 p.m. yesterday as the gunfire erupted.

"Suddenly, police arrived from everywhere," Stuart said. "It was scary, we didn't know what happened."

Police locked down the daycare. The children weren't told what had happened. Frantic parents called to make sure their children were safe, Stuart said.

She spotted an officer crying as he walked down the street. The cop threw his helmet down and said "He's dead. He's dead," Stuart said.

Police this morning said no details were available yet on funeral services for McDonald. Police have scheduled a 1 p.m. press conference to discuss developments in the shooting.