Philadelphia Mayor Kenney speaks out on deadly South Street mass shooting
"It's gotten to the point where there's no price to pay for carrying illegal guns," said the Philadelphia mayor.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Mayor Jim Kenney and other Philadelphia leaders are speaking out after a mass shooting left three dead and 11 others wounded Saturday night on South Street.
"It's gotten to the point where there's no price to pay for carrying illegal guns, so people carry them because they don't think anything is going to happen," said Mayor Kenney, who was on his way back to Philadelphia after attending the Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors in Reno, Nevada.
Kenney said it's up to state and federal officials to enact tougher gun laws, but said he has no confidence they will.
SEE ALSO: What we know about victims killed in South Street mass shooting
Under Pennsylvania law, no county, municipality or township can regulate ownership, possession or transfer of guns or ammunition. Historically, the courts have struck down efforts by Philadelphia City Council to ban assault weapons and limit handgun purchases.
"We need our prosecutor and our attorney general and the courts to help us," said Kenney. "If police are making arrests-- they've taken 6,000 guns off the street last year -- how many of those people actually wound up in jail? I don't know, but I don't think a lot."
Action News asked Kenney if he thought the city of Philadelphia isn't tough enough on crime.
His response was, "I think that those folks who carry guns illegally, those folks who are felons who are carrying guns illegally need to be in jail. When the police arrest them and take their illegal guns, they should not be on the street."
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office responded saying, "Fewer than 30% of shooters are actually arrested by police, which is why the DA has been so vocal about the Kenney Administration shifting resources to forensic technologies and more rigorous investigative training to help police solve more cases."
Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke released a statement, saying, "Before Uvalde, before Buffalo, mass shootings were happening with heart-breaking regularity in Philadelphia. City Council is funding multiple strategies to reduce gun violence, and more will be announced in the coming days."
The city announced restrictions from Sunday night to Monday morning near South Street following the shooting.
LATEST: 3 dead, 11 injured after shooting on South Street in Philadelphia
Councilman Mark Squilla wants to make this closure indefinite until something can be done.
"If we can't protect the businesses that are there, if we can't protect the people who are going to those businesses and we can't protect the residents who are living there, the only other recourse is to shut it down until we have a plan to do that," said Squilla.
A spokesperson for District Attorney Krasner said when they bring cases against civilians, they need to do so lawfully without violating people's constitutional rights.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said on Twitter, "11 injured and 3 dead in a shooting on South Street in Philadelphia last night. My thoughts are with those injured and the loved ones left mourning. Legislators: Enough gun violence. Enough deaths. Let's act."
No arrests have been made in connection with Saturday night's shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
