32 victims from weekend gun violence in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The City of Philadelphia saw one of the most violent weekends to date. From Friday to Sunday, this Father's Day weekend there were 22 shooting incidents, 32 victims and six homicides all linked to gun violence.
Twenty-four-year-old Isiaka Meite was among six young people shot during a cookout in Paschall Park.
A gunman opened fire just after ten o'clock Sunday night when the party was winding down in the 6900 block of Reed Bird Place.
The victims ranged in age from 16 to 24 years old. Miete was shot in the back and pronounced dead at the hospital - the other victims are all in stable condition.
RELATED: Police ID man killed in shooting at Philadelphia cookout, 5 others injured
Miete's uncle, Ledgi Meite, told Action News his nephew worked hard, had a job and was a good kid.
"He never was in trouble and his dream was becoming a movie star... He wanted to make something good of his life," Ledgi said.
The shootings across the city spanned from South Street to North Philadelphia to Southwest Philadelphia and the Northeast.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross in an afternoon press conference Monday said they will increase overtime and weekend patrols, plus restructure where they put patrols. But ending gun violence cannot all be put on police.
Ross lauded the seizure of more than 800 guns off the streets - more than double from last year. He couldn't account for the number of guns on the streets and if that number has increased.
He also made clear they are now tracking what happens to people arrested on gun offenses when it comes to prosecution and the courts.
"At the end of the day, we're all about criminal reform," Ross said. "But we're also about holding people accountable for committing these crimes. We've got to get to a point in this city, and maybe the country, where we are as worried about the victim as we are about the offenders."
