As of July 27, Philadelphia recorded 318-gun violence homicides in 2021 from 275 fatal shootings. Another 1,053 acts of gun violence resulted in non-fatal injuries. 85% of all gun violence incidents in Philadelphia involve Black or African Americans and 89% of incidents involve men. 53% of people involved in gun violence are between 18 and 30 years old.10 In 2019, the most recent data currently available, Chester experienced 29 deaths and 919 hospitalizations due to firearms.11 Considering Chester only has 34,000 residents, these are significant numbers.12 Despite being illegal in Philadelphia for employers to ask about criminal backgrounds during the job application process, many residents with records cannot secure employment.13 Background checks contribute to the high unemployment experienced across the city. Due to their criminal history, lack of job prospects, or lack of education, 33.9% of formerly incarcerated Philadelphians are re-arrested within a year.14 While specific data for Delaware County were unavailable, the statewide recidivism rate in Pennsylvania is an astronomical 67%.15 The never-ending cycle of living in poverty, lacking primary education, being excluded from job opportunities, and turning to crime traps far too many people every day.

 

A brief overview of Philadelphia 

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On Friday June 25, 2021, there began series of shootings that left multiple people dead and at least 20 injured since 5 p.m.
Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, police say a woman was shot at 53rd Street and Florence Avenue.

Earlier in the afternoon, a 30-year-old man was hospitalized after being shot once on the 1000 block of W. Olney Avenue around 1:08 p.m. Around 7:54 a.m., police say three people were shot on the 2700 block of Ruth Street. A 24-year-old man and a 26-year-old man are both hospitalized in stable condition for injuries sustained in the shooting. The gunfire also left a 25-year-old man in critical condition.

On Saturday May 22, and Sunday May 23, 2021 in North Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia and Center City, in just three hours, 10 people were shot in an overnight spate of gun violence. The shootings took place between 9:36 p.m. Saturday and 12:36 a.m. Sunday, touching a variety of neighborhoods in North Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia and Center City. It began Saturday night with a 19-year-old woman shot in the stomach at Schwartz Playground on the 1500 block of North 10th Street in North Philadelphia, A minute later, at 9:37 p.m. on the 2600 block of North 27th Street in Strawberry Mansion, a 20-year-old man was shot in the neck and a 21-year-old woman was shot in the right arm while sitting in a Nissan Versa. A 1-year-old in a car seat in the back was not injured, police said. The first homicide came at 9:51 p.m. when a 28-year-old man was shot once in the chest, once in the neck and once in a leg on the 5200 block of Frankford Avenue in Frankford, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said a suspect was apprehended but provided no other information The shootings resumed at 11:43 p.m. on the 1000 block of Benner Street in Oxford Circle, where a 27-year-old man was shot in the upper right arm, police said. He was taken to Einstein Medical Center in stable condition. Four minutes later, a 39-year-old man was shot once in the chest on South Columbus Boulevard in Penn’s Landing. In Queen Village, a 33-year-old man was shot once in the right shoulder and a 20-year-old man was shot in the left arm on the 300 block of South Street at 12:07 a.m. Sunday. Police said the older man was in stable condition at Jefferson and the other had been taken by private car to Jefferson Frankford Hospital. His condition was not available. The night’s second homicide was reported at 12:22 a.m. on the 900 block of East Cayuga Street in Feltonville, where police said a 62-year-old man was shot three times in the chest. He was pronounced dead shortly after at Temple. Police said an arrest was made but provided no additional details. And at 12:36 a.m., a 22-year-old woman was shot once in the left leg on the 1700 block of Bridge Street.

 

Brief summary on Delaware County

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Folcroft PA, In a shooting that occurred in the 500 block of Folcroft Avenue on Friday, June 11th 2021 at approximately 3:24pm, an innocent victim was driving on Hook Road when a bullet went through the driver’s side door and struck the driver. Police found numerous spent shell

 

Upper Darby PA, Police responded to reports of a shooting along the 7100 block of Marshall Road around 1:45 a.m., on Thursday June 10, 2021. A body was located in the parking lot of Rudy's Tavern where the shooting was reported. Police said two to three others were injured in the shooting

 

Darby PA,

A man was shot near a SEPTA trolley station and bus depot along Main Street in Darby Borough, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday night May 4, 2021. Chester PA, A 39-year-old man was found dead after he was shot multiple times inside a vehicle on Tuesday May 25, 2021.In keeping with the above Minority Center is deeply concerned about the number of mortality will will work every community both in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties to campaign against gun violence

Activities:

• Campaign against gun violence including flyer distribution,

• Town halls meeting for support against gun violence

• Lecture series/Workshop on the danger of gun violence,

• Peer to peer conversation of the danger of gun violence

• Sporting event aimed creating awareness against gun violence

• Visitation to schools and spreading the message about the danger of gun violence

• Creating opportunities such as employment to discourage folks from joining gang

• Debates in high schools and colleges on the danger of gun violence