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Philadelphia violence continues unabated as officials seek ways to curb it
Jeff Cole talks with neighbors who knew the 15-year-old victim and city leaders to gage what their plans are to stem the violence in front of the Memorial Day weekend.
CENTER CITY - Philadelphia’s homicide rate continues to soar. The latest victims were two teens, killed in two separate incidents. The city and police are trying to strategize on how to stop, or at least slow down the violence, ahead of the long Memorial Day weekend.
On the 2500 block of North Sydenham, a bullet casing rests on the street before investigators grab it, a remnant of the gun violence that erupted on the block at 8 Tuesday night, leaving yet another city teen dead.
"He went to the store for me yesterday. Just how he was," a woman on the block described.
"What do you think of his losing his life?" asked FOX 29’s Jeff Cole.
"My heart hurt so bad. So bad. I loved him…he was so sweet," the woman replied.
Asking to not be identified, the woman says she knew the 15-year-old victim as Kanye or Ye. She says he would walk her dog as a favor and, last night, he was hanging at his normal spot, a set of steps, when police say at least 32 shots were squeezed off from two guns.
Shell casings were everywhere.
"They were on both sides of the street. On the sidewalk, in the middle of the street. Numerous shots were fired from numerous directions," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small stated.
Police believe home security cameras likely recorded the killing of the young resident of 17th Street and a laser targeting device was left behind.
Thirty minutes earlier, an 18-year-old was slain on the 3900 block of Poplar Street, pushing Philly’s murder number to 208.
In the city’s anti-violence briefing, video of a wild shoot-out along Chew Avenue earlier in May was shown as more proof of on-going violence.
"I can tell you that the 15-year-old was shot after multiple people approached him on the street. Early indications are of a targeted shooting, at that time," stated Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Ben Nash.
Police Commissioner Outlaw says patrols will be stepped up for the coming holiday weekend and anti-violence mediators will walk the streets.
"As disturbing as it is to see our victims becoming younger and younger, it’s equally disturbing to see our shooters younger and younger," Commissioner Outlaw remarked.
"I’m still in a daze. I can’t figure none of it out. That was so senseless. I don’t want to see nobody get killed, but him? He was sweet," the neighborhood woman added.
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