Philadelphia endures a very violent weekend even as overall crime dips

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A Ring camera captured the conclusion to a very violent weekend across Philadelphia.

The shocking video shows severeal people firing guns very early Monday morning in the Grays Ferry section of the city.

That shooting alone ended with three young people killed and 10 more injured.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says that video makes his blood boil.

“You have an individual with a gun, with a switch, that can’t even control it, and he’s got his eyes closed. I mean, those are some of the challenges that we are facing when we see this type of weaponry on the street,” Bethel said.

This past Friday night into early Monday morning, investigators responded to 19 different shootings.

In total, 46 people were shot and six people were killed.

With that said, Bethel says his department is ready for what the hot weather usually delivers.

“July is a tough month for us, historically, as we get into the warmer months we’re going to see an increase in our violent activity, typically around shootings,” he says.

Mazzie Casher, Executive Director of an anti-violence organization called Philly Truce, says part of the solution is encouraging more people from minority communities to report what they know about any suspicious activity, or criminal activity, in their neighborhoods.

“Snitching is something that criminals do, and criminals are punished for. Now, if you’re not a criminal, how are you snitching? We’re not in cahoots, we’re not codefendants. We are citizens,” Casher said.

Commissioner Bethel adds that the only silver lining to this story is that overall crime rates across the city are going down.

“We have come a long way from 2022. We are down on homicides almost 60% from three years ago, and so we are still trending in the right direction,” he said.

In line with the commissioners’ comments, last year’s homicide rate was the lowest in 10 years.

So far, this year is on pace to tally even lower.