Mayor Kenney kicked things off by making a very stark statement. 2021 is on track to be the most violent year we ve experienced in our lifetimes, he said.
The numbers behind that statement are terrifying. As of Tuesday night, there have been 103 homicides in the city of Philadelphia, fewer than three months into the new year.
Thirteen of those victims were children, 12 of whom were shot to death.
Officers were on patrol at numerous Philadelphia recreation centers on Monday night after two teens were gunned down last week.
That marks an overall homicide increase of 32% year-to-date over 2020, which was the deadliest year Philadelphia experienced in decades.