Tracking gun violence in Philadelphia: September 15, 2020

Shooting Victims

• The latest Citywide Major Crimes weekly report indicates that 51 people were shot during the seven-day period ending Sunday. The previous week’s shooting victim total was revised up from 37 to 61. The update brought the city’s year-to-date shooting victim total to 1,448, which represents a 44.9 percent increase vs. the same period last year. An average of 27 people were shot in the city each week during the previous five years. The last week to come in below that average ended on May 3. [Philadelphia Police]

• There was a triple shooting Saturday night in North Philadelphia. Shootings with three or more victims have increased by more than 50 percent this year in Philadelphia. [Twitter/Gun Violence Archive]

• Update: 32 people were shot over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. [Data.Phila.Gov]

• Investigation: Philadelphia City Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. announced plans to drill down on the city’s last 100 shootings, where the guns came from, the shooters and victims and their prior contacts with the city’s criminal justice system. [Philadelphia City Council]

Arrests

• The latest weekly update also reports 2,501 aggravated assaults with guns this year in Philadelphia, which includes shooting incidents, for an increase of 37.6 percent vs. 2019. Arrests for aggravated assaults with guns are up four percent this year at 730. [Philadelphia Police/Philadelphia District Attorney]

Monthly shooting victim totals

• Open city data indicates that 100 people have been shot during the first 13 days of this month in Philadelphia and at least 14 have died. These incidents will result in an economic burden of $23.6 million, to be paid mostly by taxpayers, when calculated according to the city’s 2019 Roadmap to Safer Communities.  [Data.Phila.Gov/Phila.gov/media]

Homicide Victims

• Police reported 319 total homicides in Philadelphia through Sunday night, 31 percent ahead of last year’s pace and 85 percent ahead of the rate recorded during the same period in 2013. [Philadelphia Police]

In the news

• Say their names: The Philadelphia Obituary Project identified 52 people murdered in the city last month. [Philadelphia Obituary Project]

• Emotional plea: A grieving mom is calling for peace. [CBS Philly]

• Local media town halls focus on gun violence: Sunday morning and again tonight. [6ABC/Power99]

• A school in North Philadelphia has taken trauma care online while closed due to the pandemic. [Billy Penn]

• Peace Day Philly events begin with a wellness presentation and a peace walk this evening. [Peace Day Philly]

• Funding news: Gov. Wolf announced $7.5 million in grants available to stop community violence. Penn Medicine received a $3.6 million grant to develop and implement a firearm safety program. [governor.pa.gov/The Daily Pennsylvanian]

• Accountability: Two columnists are calling out the Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention. [The Philadelphia Inquirer/PhillyMag]

• Priceless partners: Thank you to the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists for your guidance on the Credible Messenger Reporting Project. Last week was the anniversary of our first Community Conversations event, in which numerous PABJ members participated. [PABJ/IBGVR]

• New network: Northwell Health’s Center for Gun Violence Prevention is now organizing the international Gun Violence Prevention Learning Collaborative. [Northwell Health]

• Rest In Peace: Longtime activist Malik Aziz stood for violence prevention and social justice. [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

• Will Parks of the Philadelphia Eagles grew up in Philadelphia and recently lost a friend to gun violence. [PhiladelphiaEagles.com]

• Advice to journalists: “Be specific about what happened … How was the officer involved?” [Passage]

• Solution of the week: Get to know the public health approach to preventing gun violence. [The Trace]

Getting help in Philadelphia

• People affected by gun violence in Philadelphia can find resources online. [Billy Penn]

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