'When Is It Going To Stop?': Deadly Start To 2020 Has Philadelphia Police Already Investigating Multiple Homicides
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's been a deadly start to 2020 as Philadelphia police are already investigating multiple homicides in the city. Three people were killed in two locations in shootings just two hours apart on Wednesday.
This comes on the heels of the most violent year in the city in more than a decade with 356 people being killed and nearly 1,500 people shot in 2019.
There is no indication the two shootings Wednesday are related. The victims were shot in West Philadelphia and Frankford.
There are more questions than answers when it comes to these three murders. The victims' identities have not been released.
But residents in Frankford do not want a repeat of a violent 2019.
"Lord, when is it going to stop? It's just a shame," Germaine Gordon said. "I'm just hoping that 2020 can be a better year for everyone. And stop all the senseless killing."
Gordon lives at the intersection of Arch and 59th Streets.
A 41-year-old man was shot in the chest and in the back just before noon near Arch and Hobard Streets. He was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at about 12:15 p.m.
"Just the first day of the year and it's really senseless," Gordon said. "It's a shame."
Two hours later, a triple shooting in Frankford left two men dead.
Police say a 24-year-old was shot twice in the chest. He was transported to Frankford Jefferson Hospital, where he died.
A 26-year-old man was also shot twice in the chest. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he also died.
A third victim -- a 36-year-old woman -- was shot in the arm and hand. She's the only survivor.
Later in the evening, two men were shot on the 2200 block of North Cleveland Street in North Philadelphia. A 27-year-old is currently in extremely critical condition, according to police.
Gordon says if the rate of violence is going to change, people need to come together.
"We got to pray. We got to pray for our neighbors, for our schools, for our children," Gordon said. "Just for people as a whole."
No arrests have been made in any of the shootings. Police are reviewing surveillance video.
CBS3's Howard Monroe and Kimberly Davis contributed to this report.
