Tracking gun violence in Philadelphia: November 3, 2020

Mapped above: Ten people were killed and 35 more were wounded in Philadelphia gun violence during the three days following the police shooting of Walter Wallace last week. Twenty-two people were shot on October 27 alone. [Philadelphia Office of the Controller/@PCGVR]

Latest Philadelphia data

• As of October 31, police had recorded 411 homicides in Philadelphia this year; 41 percent more than had been reported by the same date last year. Last month’s total of 54 homicides was the highest in the city since 1990. [Philadelphia Police/@jacobkaplan]

• Shooting victims: 256 people were wounded or killed by gunfire in Philadelphia during October; the second-highest monthly total this year and the second-highest found in open city data looking back to 1/1/2015. [Philadelphia Police]

First-person

• A mother’s view: Things to expect if your child is murdered. [Philadelphia Obituary Project]

Reporting opportunities

• The Center for Gun Violence Reporting at Community College of Philadelphia is now seeking applicants to join the Credible Messenger Reporting Project and tell the story of gun violence and prevention in Philadelphia from the community perspective. Community reporters will be paired with professional journalists to learn from each other, craft stories and get the news out where it can make a difference. [PCGVR]

• The editor at Billy Penn is looking for a freelance gun violence solutions reporter. [@phillydesign]

Dia de los Muertos

• A South Philadelphia church planned a remembrance intended especially to recognize the lives lost to COVID and gun violence. [@PCGVR]

Rewrite. Inspire. Strengthen. Engage.

• Philadelphia students gathered online recently to make plans for preventing gun violence. [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

Gun sales

• Americans have bought nearly 17 million guns so far during 2020, more than in any other single year. [The Guardian]

National gun violence emergency

• More than four people have now been shot in more than 600 incidents this year in the U.S., including one Sunday in Atlantic City. [Mass Shooting Tracker/Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office]

• Nearly 36,000 gun deaths have been reported across the US during the first 10 months of this year, including more than 20,000 suicides. [Gun Violence Archive]

Economic harm

• The U.S. paid about $280 billion in 2017 for firearm injuries. [Guns and America]

New research

• State laws requiring permits to purchase a gun are related to a lower incidence of mass public shootings. [Law and Human Behavior]

• Strong state firearm laws are associated with fewer firearm homicides — both within the state where the laws are enacted and across state lines. [Science Daily]

Give it a chance

• Peace journalism looks to unite parties, rather than divide them, and eschews oversimplified “us vs. them” and “good guy vs. bad guy” reporting. [Center for Global Peace Journalism]

Solution of week

• Election chaos could include “widespread political violence” and one of the most important roles that you and your newsroom can play “at this fragile, fraught moment” is to stay calm, not cause panic and not ratchet up drama.” [Hearken]

In the news:

• When Does Murder Make The News? The Marshall Project checks in with Letrell Crittenden of Jefferson University and G-Town Radio and with PCGVR director Jim MacMillan. [The Marshall Project]

• What data can and can’t tell us about shooting deaths in Philadelphia: Technically Philly checks in with PCGVR. [Technically Philly]

Finding help in Philadelphia:

• The Philly Gun Violence Resource List was compiled by WHYY’s Billy Penn and has been released for public use by other media organizations or anyone else. [Google Docs]

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