PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More gun violence in Philadelphia led to nine people being shot in separate incidents on Thursday. Three of the victims, two of them teenagers, were killed.
With these deaths, the city has seen 96 homicides this year, which is a 37% increase compared to this time last year. Mayor Jim Kenney said this year is "on track to be the most violent year we've experienced in our lifetimes."
The first incident, at around 3 p.m., was a quadruple shooting in the Overbrook section of the city. Police say someone opened fire in the area of 76th Street and Malvern Avenue. Two of the victims, a 24-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, were killed. The other victims, men ages 19 and 30, are hospitalized in critical condition.
The second shooting happened at a recreation center at South 55th and Christian streets at around 7:30 p.m. Police say a group of teenagers was playing basketball when another group of at least four males got out of a small SUV and started to fire into the playground. Three of the teens were shot.
Police say a boy, 16-year-old Kahree Simmons, who was hit in the neck, died at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The two others, a 15-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, had graze wounds and are expected to physically recover.
Following that shooting Thursday night, Kenney released a statement that largely focused on taking action as an increasing number of victims have been younger people.
"We cannot stand by as we lose an entire generation to the ongoing scourge of gun violence. We must rise up with one united voice to demand this horrific violence come to an end, and work together to achieve that goal,” Kenney said.
Police officials say, so far in 2021, the number of kids who have been shot and killed is three times greater than the same time last year.
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The mayor also said the city, starting next Wednesday, will be holding regular public briefings "to share the strategies underway to address this public health crisis and create safe, healthy communities. We will be candid about our challenges and transparent about the solutions and resources we’re bringing to bear to reduce violence across the city."
Police also responded to a double shooting at 19th and Tasker streets in Point Breeze. Police say there was some kind of fight and a shootout. The crowd dispersed, but moments later, someone fired shots into a house. One shot went through a front window and hit a 37-year-old woman in the shoulder. An 18-year-old man was also shot. Both of them were treated and released.
There have been no arrests in any of these cases.
City leaders, community call out violence
Friday afternoon, about a dozen city leaders gathered on the basketball court where 16-year-old Simmons was killed.
“The level of violence this week was egregious,” said Kenney.
“These are our children,” said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
“The solution is prevention,” added District Attorney Larry Krasner.
But neighbors and community leaders say it’s not enough.
“They do these press conferences but they never do any of the proactive things that they should be doing to help us be able to circumvent and mitigate a lot of the things we are seeing right now,” said Latonya Barrett, who works at a school just feet away from the park’s rec center.
Just this week, four teenagers in all have died from gun violence in separate incidents.
Barrett and other neighbors confronted the city officials after the press conference, asking why they didn’t call or reach out.
“(The officials) are often making these plans in isolation and they often never work because you don’t have the input of the stakeholders that you serve,” she said.
Neighbors spent the day consoling other children who heard the gunshots Thursday night. Many of them knew 16-year-old Simmons.
“These spaces are not sacred anymore,” added Barrett. “There is no time of the day anymore, so people are now going into hiding because there is a lack of trust between even the officials who were all out here today.”
CORRECTIONS: Kahree Simmons is 16 years old. Police earlier identified him as Kyrie. The woman shot near 19th and Tasker streets is 37 years old.