Philadelphia's top prosecutor announces new initiative to reduce shooting violence

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw released a new crime prevention and violence reduction plan on Friday, and one key component of that plan was announced by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Krasner made the announcement along with elected city and state officials and the family members of victims of gun violence outside a water ice store in Cobbs Creek.

The DA will be assigning two assistant district attorneys to each of the six police divisions within the city.

They will work alongside police to investigate violent crimes, particularly those involving a firearm, from the time the crimes occur.

The hope is to bring greater focus and consistency to shooting investigations and prosecutions and get the most dangerous offenders off the streets.

"The most important thing that we can do is build community at the same time as we are also focusing on law enforcement," Krasner said. "If you shoot people, you need to be in jail. If you kill people, you need to be in jail."

The police department has already begun reviews of shootings.

Local, state, and federal law enforcement will work together to develop a clear direction for investigating each shooting.

This is one of a number of departmental changes as Philadelphia police work to reduce the number of shootings in the city.

More than 800 people have been shot so far this year, and that's a 26 percent increase from the same period last year.