One hot weekend in Philly

[reels18]

Five Dead in Philadelphia Weekend Violence

April 27, 2008

A 15-year-old is dead, an 18-year-old with a bullet wound in his chest, the latest victims of a lawless weekend in the city of brotherly love.

The two were shot at the intersection of Cambria and Amber Streets in Port Richmond late Sunday evening. Police swarmed over the scene, interviewing witnesses.

Officers had a very busy Sunday, with seven violent crimes leaving five dead within 24 hours and seven wounded.

Gunmen also took their toll in West Oak Lane, Olney, West Kensington and South Philadelphia. In Logan a man was beaten to death.

A few hours before the shooting of two teens in Port Richmond a victim was fatally shot at a University City apartment building, and there was little calm during the overnight hours.

Tyrone Miller was heading home from a graduation party in West Oak Lane when his family says he was robbed at gunpoint and shot multiple times. He died on scene.

A few hours later on the 5000-block of North Broad, police say Nicole Wilson beat an elderly man to death outside a Sunoco Gas Station. A police officer pulled up while it was happening and arrested the 26-year-old woman.

Despite the uptick in violence Mayor Michael Nutter believes the city is making progress in its fight on crime. He says homicides are down almost 25 percent compared to last year.

The Mayor told Action News, "You have to look at these things over a extended period of time, not just episodically ... weekend to weekend." But for a city trying to shed its label "Killadelphia", this certainly wasn't a promising weekend. The mayor says while an increase police presence and a surge in police stops have been effective, he and Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey will unveil new strategies for the summer when violence often spikes.

"There's no slacking off, no taking a break, ever in reducing crime here in Philadelphia and that's our main mission everyday," says Nutter.

The Mayor says he'll announce those strategies in the coming days.

(Copyright ©2008 WPVI-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

This has all the makings of a record breaking year. Mayor Nutjob and his trusty sidekick, Commissioner Chuckie have their hands full already. Stay tuned for more madness and mayhem!!!!!!

[ccphilly1984]

can't he make a new promotion called arm philadelphia? Then we would be hearing hero stories for all of these happenings.

[er2006]

I grew up in the Port Richmond section of Philly, it was always a little rough , but it was usually a fist fight . Many things have changed in my City over the last 63 years I have been around . I will be moving in a few years. I would rather want to own a gun rather than NEED to own.

The Mayor may reduce the incidence of crime but it will take a lot more than cops on the street , They still have too many specialized units , and that will never change. The only solution is to get people to change , Don't ask how that will occur. No one has that answer.

Be careful where you go in the City . er2006

[ccphilly1984]

I grew up in the Port Richmond section of Philly, it was always a little rough , but it was usually a fist fight . Many things have changed in my City over the last 63 years I have been around . I will be moving in a few years. I would rather want to own a gun rather than NEED to own.

The Mayor may reduce the incidence of crime but it will take a lot more than cops on the street , They still have too many specialized units , and that will never change. The only solution is to get people to change , Don't ask how that will occur. No one has that answer.

Be careful where you go in the City . er2006

port richmond is still nice. If you consider between aramingo and kensington to be port richmond, it's a kind of gray area between port richmond and kensington... aramingo to the river i'd consider port richmond... You can tell the difference between the two sections... if you are west of aramingo, you can bet you will be walking through trash crossing the street or walking the sidewalks, on the east side of aramingo, you can eat off the streets if you really want to. two worlds... and any conflict east of aramingo usually winds up ending into a fight or an "agree to disagree" or a "fuck this they aren't worth my effort" very rare is a shooting.

[Pat T]

Glad to see all those newly implemented (and illegal) gun control laws are working out for them.