25 people shot in deadly Philadelphia weekend; city's murder count surges past 180 for year
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Seven people are dead in a violent weekend in Philadelphia that saw more than 20 people shot. The violence included a quintuple shooting in Olney and a triple shooting in Kensington. People were killed in both incidents.
"I've seen a lot violence. This is more violence than I've ever seen. We need people to put down the guns," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Frank Vanore on Monday during a press briefing about the violent weekend.
By the numbers
Twenty-five people were shot in 14 separate incidents this weekend. Investigators recovered a total of 121 bullet casings.
Philadelphia is already on pace to surpass last year's 499 murders. To date, more than 185 homicides have been recorded. That's up 34% from this time last year.
While other big cities are seeing a surge in murders in 2021, they are all being outpaced by Philadelphia. Data shows that New York is up 17% through the first few days of May, while Chicago is up 22%.
"I'm devastated by the unspeakable violence that occurred this weekend across our city. My thoughts are with the victims and their families during this tragic time, and I want all Philadelphians to know that our Administration does not take this issue lightly. No priority is greater for us than reducing violence and creating a safer and more just city for us all," said Mayor Jim Kenney in a statement.
Police officials say some of the murders are related to narcotics and robbery. Investigators believe retaliation could be the motive for a couple of weekend shootings in Olney.
"Rather than provide us information to solve these homicides, they decide to take matters in their own hands. That's why we continue to find ourselves in this continuing cycle of violence," said Captain Jason Smith.
Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, with the violence prevention nonprofit Mothers in Charge, can relate to the scores of families suffering. Her son was killed by gun violence.
"It's pain, like, I can't even begin to explain it. I've lived it, but I'm living it and seeing it all over again with the number of families that come to us every single day," she says.
Below is a roundup of some of the weekend shootings:
Shooting Outside Market
One person was killed in a triple shooting in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, capping the violent weekend in the city.
It happened around 11:40 p.m. Sunday outside the King Deli Grocery Store on the 3200 block of G Street.
All three victims were taken to the hospital. One was pronounced dead a short time later. The two others were listed in stable condition.
Saturday Shootings
The shootings began early Saturday morning.
A 20-year-old man was shot in the 3400 block of Spruce Street. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Police say a 31-year-old man was shot multiple times in the city's Frankford section. The shooting happened just after 9 a.m. Saturday along the 1600 block of Granite Street.
Officials say the victim was taken to Temple University Hospital in extremely critical condition.
Moments later in the city's Kingsessing section more gunfire rang out.
Police say this shooting happened on the 1200 block of South 55th Street just after 9 a.m.
The victim, a 23-year-old man, was shot multiple times across the body. He's listed in stable condition at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
Another shooting took place on Marvine and Poplar streets in North Philadelphia. A 21-year-old victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Just before 4 p.m., police were called to the 2300 block of South 66th Street in Southwest Philadelphia for a double shooting.
Police say a 25-year-old woman was shot once in the right knee. A 31-year-old man was shot once in the left leg. Both were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in stable condition.
A 20-year-old man was shot and killed around 7:55 p.m. on the 1700 block of West Ruscomb Street in Logan. Police say the man was shot once in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sunday Shootings
A 37-year-old man had emergency surgery following a double shooting in Southwest Philadelphia.
Action News captured the scene outside the emergency room when the man and a 44-year-old woman were brought in for gunshot wounds.
Investigators say they were leaving a tavern when gunfire erupted on the 5400 block of Woodland Avenue around 1 a.m. Sunday.
The man suffered four gunshot wounds: one to the chest and three to the groin. He is listed in critical condition. The woman suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and is listed in stable condition.
Police say another man was shot around 1:04 p.m. on the 2600 block of Felton Street. Officials say he is expected to survive his injuries.
3 shot inside car
Around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, police say a gunman opened fire on three male teenagers inside a light blue Nissan on the 2800 block of North 21st Street.
Police say one of the teens was shot in the head. He was rushed to an area hospital where he later died.
A 19-year-old man suffered eight gunshot wounds to the torso, police said. He was transported to Temple University Hospital where he is listed in extremely critical condition.
A third victim, an 18-year-old man, was shot in the left arm. He was transported to an area hospital where he's listed in stable condition.
Less than 10 minutes later, a 28-year-old man was shot two times on the 600 block of E. Wishart Street. He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
Quintuple Shooting
Police were called to the city's Olney section after five men were shot on the 100 block of East Albanus Street just before 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The shooting left a 17-year-old and 23-year-old dead. A 21-year-old and two 22-year-olds are listed in stable condition after being injured in the shooting.
Around the same time as the quintuple shooting, police say a 34-year-old man was shot multiple times on the 2200 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. There was no word on his condition.
3 people stabbed
Three people were also stabbed in separate incidents during the violence this weekend.
In one incident, police are looking for the woman who robbed and stabbed a 66-year-old man in Southwest Philadelphia.
It happened around midnight Sunday in the 1800 block of South 68th Street.
Police say the woman stole $40 from the man, then stabbed him multiple times in the face and upper body. He remains in critical condition.
In another incident, a 44-year-old man was found stabbed in the chest around 10:41 a.m. Sunday on the 200 block East Ontario Street in North Philadelphia.
He was taken to Temple University Hospital by police. The man was listed in critical condition.
Anyone with any information on any of the violence is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
Read Mayor Kenney's full statement on this weekend's violence:
"I'm devastated by the unspeakable violence that occurred this weekend across our city. My thoughts are with the victims and their families during this tragic time, and I want all Philadelphians to know that our Administration does not take this issue lightly. No priority is greater for us than reducing violence and creating a safer and more just city for us all.
We are committed to investing as much money as possible back into our communities to prevent gun violence. It's a key part of the $18.7 million in additional funding for anti-violence initiatives we proposed for next fiscal year. Over five years, we're planning to increase our investment in proven violence reduction strategies by $70 million.
This includes:
$1.3 million in new money for the expansion of the Group Violence Intervention strategy and the Community Crisis Intervention Program, which would make for a total investment of $6.6 million in FY22 for these two efforts.
The Targeted Community Investment Grant (TCIG) program will receive $500,000 in additional funding - nearly double the FY21 allotment. To date, the TCIG program has already provided more than $2 million in funding in grassroots violence reduction programs, with about $400,000 awarded just weeks ago, to support 30 programs.
These and other evidence-based strategies are available in the updated Roadmap for Safer Communities Plan we released last month, and on this post on phila.gov -- 10 Things the City is Doing Right Now to Combat Gun Violence."
