Philadelphia City Council To Hold Virtual Emergency Hearing To Discuss Surge In Gun Violence
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia City Council Committee is holding an emergency hearing over the next two days to discuss the surge in gun violence across the city. The meeting will be virtual, so anyone can attend.
Organizers say in order to fix the gun violence problem, they have to get to the root of it.
"Anything that you know how to do you need to be teaching to a young buck," said Solomon Jones with ManUpPHL.
There was a call to action to reverse the trend of violence in Philadelphia on Monday afternoon.
"Day in and day out African American young men and women, and pregnant women are shot and murdered," Councilman Kenyatta Johnson said. "We go about our lives every single day as if nothing has happened, shame on us. Shame on us."
Councilman Kenyatta Johnson organized a rally at City Hall. It was in his council district that six people were shot on Saturday evening while at a cookout in a park.
The victims included a pregnant woman.
In all, 22 people were shot over the weekend, including two 11 year old boys.
"A city full of hatred," a rally member said. "Adults who don't understand the language of violence. A community who doesn't understand the language of trauma."
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, more than 100 children under the age of 18 have been shot so far this year. Shootings are up 54% compared to 2019 and at least 256 people have been killed.
Homicides are up 30%.
"The streets of Philadelphia should be lined with us outraged at the senseless murders that are happening in the City of Philadelphia," a rally member said.
But while outraged, they say not to give up just yet.
"I want y'all to understand something," someone at the rally said. "Believe in our youth, tell them they're going to be somebody."
The council meeting on violence will take place over the next two days.
It begins Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m.
Representatives from the police department and district attorney's office were invited to testify.
