PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has promised to provide the public with more frequent briefings on the city’s gun violence efforts. The response comes after a mass shooting and hunger strike.
Eight people were shot during an incident at Broad Street and Olney Avenue at the Olney Transportation Center on Wednesday. The victims included two men over 70. The mass shooting comes alongside yet another sharp uptick in homicides.
In 2020, 499 people were murdered in the city, a number 40% higher than 2019. So far in 2021, the death toll is at 71, a 41% uptick over last year.
The harrowing statistics, including the hundreds of shootings that have taken place in recent months, have prompted reporters and community members to repeatedly ask the mayor what his administration is doing to curb gun violence.
The response from the mayor's office has been to point to the 2018 Roadmap for Safer Communities, a plan that declares gun violence a public health emergency. But the lack of effectiveness of that plan has also prompted questions as to whether a new course is needed.
“I just felt that there was nothing else that I could or anyone else could do to possibly get the mayor’s attention about this resolution that he had been sitting on for months,” said Jamal Johnson, a veteran and activist.
The 63-year-old started a hunger strike in January, refusing to eat solid foods for 26 days. He sat outside city hall each day, holding a sign calling attention to City Council Resolution 200447.
Introduced by Councilmember Jaime Gauthier, the resolution passed City Council in September 2020. It called on the mayor to use executive powers to bring more transparency and a coronavirus-style response to gun violence.
When asked about the resolution, there was little action by the administration.
Then a week ago, Sajdah “Purple” Blackwell brought the mayor to Johnson, mediating a discussion between the two men. By then, Johnson had been on his hunger strike for 26 days.
During that discussion, the mayor acknowledged the resolution and pledged to work to do what he could to stop the killing.
“I believe the mayor will create the solutions for this issue,” said Blackwell, who, along with her husband Tommy Blackwell, take action in West Philadelphia feeding the hungry and battling gun violence. “Mayor Kenny gave his word to Jamal and I believe he will keep his word.”
Johnson ended his hunger strike but said he gave the mayor until Feb. 18 to take action.
“I told him I would reinstitute the hunger strike,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to but we need the administration’s attention on this issue.”
Then on Wednesday, the shooting in North Philadelphia seemed to push the mayor to take action.
He issued a statement saying he was “beyond sickened” and that “we must rise together with one clear voice against the evil act of violence.”
The mayor also said that the public deserves more “frequent public updates about gun violence reduction strategies underway and their results.”
Finally, he said, “I’m committed to increasing transparency and accountability in this area and I’ll have more to share in coming weeks.”
Councilmember Jaimie Gauthier was on KYW Newsradio’s Flashpoint earlier this month calling for a coronavirus-style, weekly public briefings.
KYW Newsradio received assurances from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia police commissioner and the chief of the Defender Association of Philadelphia that they would all be willing to attend weekly public briefings on gun violence if organized by the mayor.
For Johnson and many others, the mayor’s promises offer hope, if nothing more.
“We have to band together to deal with gun violence,” said Sajdah Blackwell.
“It’s time for something to be done,” said Johnson. “It’s past time.”