Community comes together after deadly quadruple shooting
NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A North Philadelphia community is coming together in a collective cry for peace.
A memorial of stuffed animals and candles is a sad reminder of the horrific crime that happened along West Stiles Street.
Days after the brutal crime, community members held a meeting to discuss the violence and possible solutions.
"We can't heal until the people who did it are off the streets," State Representative Curtis Thomas said.
On Monday, police say a group of men was standing in the Harrison Plaza public housing facility when they were approached by suspects who started shooting.
Three of the victims died; one was shot in the stomach and is recovering in the hospital.
The community meeting was a push to get anyone who knows anything to break their silence.
"Someone knows what happened. Someone needs to step up. Men need to step up and realize it is our community," resident Roger James said.
Police say the victims were all friends and had criminal histories. Officers say they found a gun on one the victims.
Investigators suspect the shooting may have been the result of a rivalry.
Twenty-five bullet castings were found near the victims.
"It happened because nobody thought that anyone would say anything and secondly, that there are no consequences. That is where we can step up because we know there is information out there. Connect with the police and give up that information," Thomas said.
Community activists say dialogue is good, but say one way change will happen is when inmates from the community are rehabilitated before they are released and taught to be a positive influence.
"The best thing to do is give us the resources that is available, put us back into the community, because we are going to talk to them and they will listen to us. They are not going to listen to the politicians, the police officers that are walking around in uniforms and stuff like that. They are going to look and identify with someone that looks just like them," activist Colwin Williams said.
A $70,000 reward is being offered for information int he West Stiles incident.
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