Tracking gun violence in Philadelphia: August 3, 2020

Philadelphia Police report that 42 people were shot in the city last week, down from 48 during the previous week. An average of 28 people were shot in Philadelphia each week during 2019. The weekly average during the past five years was 27. (PPD Weekly Reports)

The latest update also reports 1,867 aggravated assaults with guns this year, up 25.6 percent vs. 2019.

The most recent data from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office reports 573 arrests for aggravated assaults with guns through August 2 of this year, four percent behind last year’s pace.

More than 200 people were shot during July in Philadelphia, slightly ahead of the increases reported during each of the previous two months, according to the Shooting Victims data set provided by the police and displayed at Open Data Philly, as seen above. You can break down this data further with our Philadelphia Shooting Victims dashboard.

Total homicides are now running 34 percent ahead of last year’s pace and 81 percent ahead of the pace recorded in 2014, according to the latest update to Crime Maps & Stats page on the police department’s web site.

More people have been killed so far this year than during all of 2013 or 2014. Police recently announced heightened deployment to hot spots.

Multiple-victim incidents

Seven people were shot in two incidents within 24 hours in the same police district in North Philadelphia last week.

The Gun Violence archive has tracked news reports from 44 incidents in which with three or more people killed or wounded by gunfire so far this year in Philadelphia.

Heartbreaking news

Local news organizations are reporting that 7-year-old Zamar Jones has died. Police reported that he was shot in the head Saturday night in West Philadelphia.

Brutal summer

For the first time since 2007, Philadelphia witnessed two straight months with 40 or more homicides, according to @PhillyHomicides, a Twitter account that examines homicide data in Philadelphia and Delaware Valley each month

New documentary

Made by students, ‘Our Philadelphia’ offers a look at how boys talk about gun violence.

Statewide coalition

The new PA Safety Alliance aims to strengthen gun safety policies launched with a press conference last week in Harrisburg.

Observation and questions

Zaffer Qasim, an emergency and trauma/critical care physician at Penn, shared an open letter penned with colleagues for the Journal of Emergency Medicine: Violence Unchecked by Social Distancing.

Peace motorcade

Activists drove through impacted neighborhoods last week to speak with residents and pass out cards with 10 things people can do to prevent violence, as well as masks.

Say their names

The Philly Obit Project strives to “honor all of Philadelphia’s homicide victims with a positive story about their lives” and shared the names of homicide victims killed in the city during June.

Second major investment

The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research announced $7.5 million in new funding for gun policy research.

Roundtable

Philadelphia Police officials including Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, met last week in southwest Philadelphia with community members who had lost loved ones to gun violence.

Strategy

Commissioner Outlaw’s recent Crime Prevention & Violence Reduction Action Plan is “full of state-of-the-art reforms,” according to somebody who read the full 37-page plan.

Heavily-armed

Pennsylvania fell to fourth place among states with highest monthly gun sales, with 136,00 guns sold here last month, vs. 145,000 sold during June, according to data from The Trace. How Many Guns Did Americans Buy Last Month?

Solution of the week

Oakland modified Ceasefire and it’s working: Shootings and arrests are down, while police solve more murders.

Here’s what you can do

Philadelphia Tribune managing editor Irv Randolph says it’s time to “replace apathy with action” and “be the change you seek.”

Resources

People affected by gun violence in Philadelphia can find resources online, compiled by Billy Penn.

Safe gun storage prevents unintentional shootings and people in Philadelphia are invited to get a free gun lock from Temple Safety Net.