'They Need To Be Sick And Tired': Philly Councilman Calling For Community To Get Involved After Teen Boy Gunned Down In Olney
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia councilman is calling for neighbors to get involved after a 14-year-old boy was gunned down in Olney on Thursday night. Police are continuing their manhunt for the gunman.
"Police were able to do an investigation and determine he was a 14-year-old male," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
This latest act of gun violence occurred on the 5900 block of Mascher Street in the Olney section of the city.
The boy was found with gunshots to his back and chest.
"We're not sure if he was the intended target or if he was struck by stray gunfire because at the intersection we found 10 spent shell casings from a semi-automatic weapon," Small said.
"First and foremost, it's unacceptable the level of gun violence we're seeing in Philadelphia," said Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, who is the chairman of the Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention.
Over 100 children under the age of 18 have been shot in Philly so far this year, contributing to the 457 people murdered within the city in 2020.
"It's time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and get involved -- officials, our DA, our commissioner," Johnson said. "But most importantly, the community. They need to be sick and tired of seeing children shot in Philly."
Johnson is asking for those community leaders to continue to make noise and try to rally together to get guns off the block and educate on conflict resolution.
"We need to invest more in programs that'll keep kids off the streets and invest more in intervention," Johnson said.
Police say, at this point, they have no motive for the teen boy's shooting death, but they have spoken to a person of interest.
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