PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The 18th Police District in Southwest Philadelphia has made rapid strides in decreasing the number of shootings, and law enforcement leaders point to a partnership with the Pennsylvania Attorney General as a main reason why.
Bullets sprayed through the Christie Rec Center last March, injuring two teens and killing Kahree Simmons, 16, who was playing basketball.
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Over the last few months, leaders have intensified safety measures around the center.
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"Our team has been adding shifts and doing double duty to help PPD," said Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
He said his office added bodies and mobile units from the Strategic Response Team to identify armed drug trafficking groups which resulted in five dozen guns off the street, and 178 arrested.
"We are running every single firearm, taken off the streets through our track and trace program to find out who bought them, and if they have been used in crimes, and how they got in the hands of criminals."
Since July, shootings have decreased by nearly 50% and nearly 20% in the neighboring district.
"We have seen an increase in community involvement," said 18th District Captain Matt Gillespie.
"More block captains, more people calling the district, wanting to be involved. More kids coming to the rec center wanting to play, more programs here, so when the violence decreases, more community investment increases."
There’s another team working in Kensington which has also slowed the shootings, state officials say.
Both Shapiro and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the hope is to continue expanding the partnership through more violent areas.
Funding for the operation comes from the attorney general’s office, which has also been working in other parts of the state like McKeesport in Western Pennsylvania.
