Democratic Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Sunday night that he was “heartbroken and outraged” by the 400 murders in the city so far in 2021.
“My heart goes out to all families suffering from enormous grief. Our administration continues to act with urgency to reduce violence and save lives,” Kenney said. The city saw 499 murders in 2020, the highest in 30 years. At least 14 people were shot over the weekend, four of whom died, according to ABC.
I am heartbroken and outraged that we’ve lost more than 400 Philadelphians to preventable violence this year.
My heart goes out to all families suffering from enormous grief. Our administration continues to act with urgency to reduce violence and save lives.
— Jim #VaxUpPhilly Kenney (@PhillyMayor) September 26, 2021
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner discussed the need for increased staffing for homicide and nonfatal shooting investigations in a Sunday statement obtained by CBS Philly, noting that only 29% of homicides in the city resulted in an arrest in 2021. He then suggested reforms as part of a “violence prevention” initiative.
“For starters, we simply must become a society that invests vigorously and continuously in children. That means safe, structured learning environments for all kids, in buildings free of neurotoxins and where regular access to nutritious meals is a given,” he said. (RELATED: I Woke Up This Morning And Somehow Became Part Of A Police Raid On My Suspected Murderer Neighbors)
Krasner does not prosecute some “low-level” offenses including prostitution and drug possession and has lowered the number of people in Philadelphia’s jails by 30%, The New York Times reported.
The homicide rate in the city has increased every year since Krasner took office in 2018.