PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After facing backlash last week for saying he didn’t believe there was a crisis in crime or gun violence, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner apologized to the public at a press conference Monday morning in North Philadelphia.
"The first way that I failed in talking about gun violence and talking about statistics, and speaking very specifically about the nature of the gun violence problem we face, I did not acknowledge the pain and the hurt that people feel in the city of Philadelphia," said Krasner.
He went on to say that he used "poor choices of words" and misspoke when he addressed the gun crisis.
"My words unintentionally hurt people," Krasner shared. "It was never what I wanted to do. It’s the work that we do everyday. It’s not the work we will do the rest of today, but I know that those words were the wrong ones. I chose them. They came out of my mouth. This is on me. I accept responsibility for that. I own that, because I failed in not acknowledging that pain and that suffering."
Krasner’s comments last week prompted former Mayor Michael Nutter to write a blistering op-ed about Krasner’s insensitivity to victims of shootings and homicides.
This year is the highest number of homicide and shooting victims ever recorded in the city of Philadelphia.
