Tracking gun violence in Philadelphia: December 3, 2020

Latest Philadelphia data

• Police report 70 people shot in Philadelphia during the week ending Sunday, the second-highest weekly total recorded since the category was added to their public reports in late April. On average, 27 shooting victims were recorded in the city each week during the previous five years. [Philadelphia Police via Google Docs]

• Police recorded 454 homicides in the city through November 30, representing a 39 percent year-to-date increase when compared with 2019 and running more than double the pace recorded in 2013. [PhillyPolice.com]

• UPDATE: According to the latest city data, 220 people were shot in Philadelphia during November, the lowest monthly victim total reported since July. However, an average of only 106 people were shot in Philadelphia during the previous five Novembers. [data.phila.gov]

• The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office just added information about Non-Fatal Shooting incidents, arrests, and charges to their Public Data Dashboard, which indicated on Tuesday that they have brought charges in 310 such cases this year-to-date. They also offer dashboard training for data journalists. [data.philadao.com]

• Homicides have already reached the third-highest annual total of the last 60 years. [NBC10]

Multiple-victim incidents

• Triple shootings were reported in Philadelphia on Thursday, Monday and in two locations on Tuesday. Philadelphia shooting incidents reported in the news this year with three or more people wounded or killed have already more than doubled previous annual totals. [6ABC/CBS3/CBS3/CBS3/Gun Violence Archive]

National experts

• An analysis of 51 cities shows murder up 35.7 percent across the U.S. this year-to-date, relative to 2019. [@Crimealytics]

• A Princeton criminologist also concludes that 2020 has been an extremely violent year. [@patrick_sharkey]

New research

• A new study indicates that news coverage of mass shootings “contributes to distorted perceptions of risk and reinforces inaccurate stereotypes about these crimes.” The lead author says “The kinds of cases that are covered instill fear as well as a misunderstood nature of this crime.” [SAGE Journals/The Trace]

Using Data to Strengthen Hospital-Based Violence Intervention

• The Stoneleigh Foundation is seeking applicants for their Emerging Leader Fellowship to conduct a groundbreaking analysis of violently injured patients in Philadelphia. [Stoneleigh Foundation]

Solution of the Week

• Philadelphia Youth Basketball: “No workshop, no jumpshot: 90 minutes on the court, 90 minutes in workshop, addressing issues like identity formation, goal setting, transcending one’s own circumstances, resolving conflict.” [The Philadelphia Citizen]

Holiday grief

• A bereaved mom shares the experience of missing her murdered son on Thanksgiving. [Philadelphia Obituary Project]

Giving everyday

• Yesterday was #GivingTuesday but you can support the Center for Gun Violence Reporting any day by making a contribution to The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting. [ibgvr.wedid.it]

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]

Report for us!

• We are 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.

We hope to see some of the resulting reports shared by local news organizations, while other might be more effective on social media platforms and we hope to find professional journalists learning more about engaging new audiences. The possibilities are endless.

The Center will provide equal funding to both partners and cover related expenses, including stipends for story subjects from the community in some cases.

Visit our home page for more info and link to apply: PCGVR.org