PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — At least 300 homicides have taken place in Philadelphia so far this year.
The city is on pace to match 2021’s record of 562 homicides. This time last year, the city had recorded 304 killings, according to Philadelphia Police Department statistics.
Mayor Jim Kenney blames the state legislature and the gun lobby.
“The fact remains there are too many guns on our streets, with devastating consequences,” said Kenney.
He conceded he has never met with a homicide victim’s family during his seven years in office.
“I have met with some children, little babies who have been shot in crossfire,” said Kenney.
He later shared a statement calling every act of gun violence an unspeakable tragedy.
"The fact that our city has lost 300 souls to date this year is utterly devastating. As mayor, my number one priority is to keep people safe and protect our residents. The surge in gun violence that we’ve seen in our city—and across the entire country—is unacceptable and pains me to my core. My deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of all those affected by this senseless violence," Kenney said.
“It is our top priority to respond to the needs of victims of gun violence and their families.
Deputy Commissioner Joel Dales said police have arrested more than 1,300 people for firearm offenses.
“Last year at this time, we were a little over 1,500,” said Dales.
Police officials say they are close to taking nearly as many guns off the street as last year, but they add that new case law makes it harder to get illegal firearms off the street.
A spokesperson for Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner pointed to fewer arrests for the reason why they have charged about 30% fewer cases, and says they charged 99% of those arrested for firearms last year.
They did not initially responded to KYW Newsradio about how many of those charges are kept through the first phase of the court system.
Krasner called the current homicide total in the city tragic.
“The fact that there are so many young people involved — and involved on both ends of the gun — is particularly heartbreaking,” he said.
“I totally understand the level of frustration,” he continued. “It is a frustration I feel as well. I think the truth is, elected officials are accountable and should be accountable, and I do understand why people who are frightened and people who are concerned about their public safety rightly are frustrated.”
Police officials say July is already shaping up to be the deadliest on record — with more than 40 victims. As of now, the record is October 2020, when 66 people were killed.
Each homicide victim is a son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father.
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Young West Philadelphia man among city’s latest gun violence victims
An 18-year-old man has been recorded as the 300th homicide victim in Philadelphia.
Lameer Boyd was shot and killed just blocks from his home in West Philadelphia Monday night. It happened just before 10 p.m. near Malcolm X Park at 52nd Street and Larchwood Avenue.
Chief Inspector Scott Small said two shooters fired roughly 52 shots.
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“It appears that the shooters were standing very, very close to this victim when he was shot,” Small said. “Some of the shell casings are just inches away. Several others were just feet away.”
Small said those spent shell casings are two different calibers — one appears to be from a rifle, the other a handgun.
Also overnight, close to 1:20 a.m. in Holmesburg, a 20-year-old man was shot in the head and leg. The victim, David Flores of Olney, died at the scene.
Police have not made any arrests in either shooting.
“We are a nervous wreck every day”
Residents and visitors are taking great precautions and experiencing greater anxiety as gun violence continues to escalate in the city.
“It’s getting ridiculous,” said 16-year-old Zachary of West Philadelphia. “There are metal detectors at every entrance at school. It’s really bad.”
He said he weighs where he goes throughout the day.
“You go to certain places at certain times. You don’t go to certain places at certain times,” he warns.
“You’ve got to know when or where not to be at certain times. A park at nighttime, you are kind of asking for it.”
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Connie from the lower Northeast says she is scared and disgusted.
“We are a nervous wreck every day,” Connie said.
“Every morning we go out, I go to work at 6 a.m. and have to make sure my husband stands here and watches me as I get into my car and drive away.“
Connie said she has never experienced any violence crisis like the current one.
“The majority of my neighbors are done,” she said. “We had a neighbor that just moved to Allentown. She was so sick of it. She sold her house and she moved.”
Ingrid, who is from France, has frequently visited Philadelphia over the past 10 years.
“I’m a pedestrian here in America, so I take the bus,” she said while waiting at a Market Street bus stop. “I wouldn’t do that in the evening. My friends are telling me, ‘Don’t do it.’”
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Ingrid said when she is in Paris she has no problems taking public transportation at night, unlike in Philadelphia. She cited the ease of access to guns.
“It is a very complicated process to get a gun in France,” she said. “Here, anybody can get a gun.”
Others say they limit their stay in the city and recently have been patronizing restaurants and other businesses in the suburbs.