PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jake Rauchen thinks about June 4 often. He lives in Queen Village near South Street, where three people were killed and at least 11 others were injured last year in a mass shooting that broke out late on a Saturday night.
“I hear from family and friends all the time, they mention it,” he said, “but South Street is still packed every Thursday through Sunday.”
Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the incident, and while many have moved on, some residents still feel the reverberations.
Queen Village neighbor Laura, who preferred not to give her last name, witnessed the broken glass and bloodied sidewalks last year. Since then, she has changed some of her habits.
“I wouldn’t be out after, what, 9 o’clock at night?” she said.
Despite last year’s violence, she wasn’t shocked to learn that it had happened. “There’s constant shootings. And it’s like, ‘Oh, there was one only two blocks from us. Oh, this is a carjacking.’”
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The June 4 incident was especially frightening, as a packed street of people out for fun turned into a chaotic melee, with gunfire causing a rush to escape.
A fight between Gregory Jackson, Micah Townes and Rashaan Vereen broke out in front of Rita’s Italian Ice at Third and South streets. After a fistfight, Jackson pulled a gun, as did Townes — but Townes shot first, killing Jackson.
That gunfire sparked a mad dash to leave the block. That is when Quadir Dukes-Hill and Nahjee Whittington fired their weapons in the direction of the panicked crowd, allegedly killing Alexis Quinn and Kristopher Minners, respectively.
The incident garnered international news and brought hyper-attention to the city’s ongoing gun violence crisis, one that has caused many people to avoid neighborhoods once believed to be safe.
On the night of the shooting, city officials said there were already 70 police officers near the scene. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police beefed up their presence even more. After a year, neighbors say that’s subsided.
Business, however, has picked up. Mike Harris, executive director of the Headhouse District, said people have returned to the area, new businesses are opening and festivals are back in swing.
“We’re not back to pre-pandemic levels, but we’re heading in that direction,” he said. “The numbers are trending positive.”
Situated not far from Independence Mall, Harris said the South Street area remains a top tourist destination.
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“I think an unfortunate reality of being an American is that gun violence will touch everyone’s life,” added Sarah Cowell, digital and marketing manager with the Headhouse District. “The horrific incident was traumatic and heartbreaking, not only for the South Street community but for the people and families whose lives will be forever impacted by gun violence.”
Rauchen has debated moving out of the neighborhood.
“But I love the city,” he said. “I love this area. I love Queen Village, so it’s tough to pull me away from it.”
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