A man who was working on a video about gun violence victims was shot and killed in Philadelphia Monday night.
Police were called to the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood around 8 p.m.
“This 55-year-old male was working for a production company. They were inside of a private residence. They were interviewing and filming some family members whose children were victims of gun violence in the last two to three years,'' Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The man went out to his van to get more equipment when a gunman opened fire. He was shot several times throughout his body. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:11 p.m. Investigators have not yet revealed his identity.
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Responding police officers found production equipment and two cellphones on the sidewalk. No arrests have been made and police have not released information on any suspects.
The violence continued Tuesday night when a 17-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl were both shot at a rec center.
The teens were at the Happy Hollow Rec Center on the 4900 block of Pulaski Avenue shortly before 8 p.m. when an unidentified gunman opened fire. The boy was shot once in the right arm while the girl was shot once in the back of the neck.
Both victims were taken to Temple University Hospital and are in stable condition. No arrests have been made and a weapon has not been recovered.
The incidents are part of a recent wave of gun violence in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia police crime statistics showed at least 777 shootings as of the week ending March 21. There have also been 119 homicides as of Monday night, up 29% from the same time last year which was ultimately one of the deadliest years in decades for Philadelphia.
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Philadelphia city leaders took part in a City Council Special Committee hearing Tuesday aimed at curbing gun violence in the city. While police said gun possession arrests have increased and one in every two homicides have ended in an arrest, city council members, including Katherine Gilmore Richardson (D-Philadelphia Councilmember-at-Large), still expressed their concerns.
"My six-year-old was able to pull up the shooting on TikTok," she said. "Somebody got shot at one of our favorite malls."
The hearing's participants discussed several ideas, including curfew centers for teens who were out late and more patrols at rec centers. Philadelphia police officials said they're working on a plan for the summer. In the meantime, they want community members who have influence to help.
"I'm tired of seeing shootings where I hear from witnesses, or even the victim, 'Yeah, I had a fight two days ago and they threatened to shoot me.' I know we talk about how people don't trust the police but at some point, you've got to say, 'Listen. I want to protect my neighbor. I want to protect my child. My kid. My mother. My father,'" Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Joel Dales said.
Officials are also working on a $1.5 million pilot project aimed at tackling gun violence which includes new and updated cellphones for officers to improve communication.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
