Eric Franks was to known to run several businesses a struggling business district of West Philadelphia’s Wynnefield section. At one of his locations, Mingle Events in the 5200 block of Merion Ave., politicians, college students, couples, and family members often gathered for celebrations of their milestones. It was also a spot for weddings, birthday parties, and anniversary celebrations.
The 57-year-old’s business became a popular venue after the Wynne Ballroom closed permanently. In the community, Franks was said to offer hope and encouragement to many people. However, his death and the shooting of three police officers changed all that.
According to police, last Saturday night (June 13), officers responded to reports of a car shooting near North 54th and Arlington sts. around 10:30 p.m. It was reported that four police officers tried talking to Franks who was upset about the car that was shot up on the block. According to published reports, officers were trying to explain to Franks that they needed more information to establish a shooting at the crime scene, but Franks would not back down and ultimately, fired a gun at the officers…