A teen girl whose father was shot and killed, a mother whose son was murdered and an advocate who works to stop the city’s youth from making the same mistakes he once made are all doing their part to help young victims of gun violence in Philadelphia. These are their stories:
"I’m still hope-ish that it’s still going to end.”
When Zaahirah Bailey was only 8-years-old, her father was shot and killed. The issue of gun violence has not only impacted her, but those she’s closest to as well.
“A lot of my friends have been affected by gun violence,” Bailey said.
Just a teen herself, Zaahirah started Hope-Ish, a mental health and wellness program for young people impacted by gun violence in Philadelphia.
Brooke Brown participated in the program over the summer. Almost two years ago, her mother survived being shot twice. Brown had to care for her while still in middle school.
“It kind of affected our whole household and we were worried about her and everything she was dealing with,” Brown said. “And also, I never had to help my mom do things she had to help me do when I was little.”
Dr. Caroline Watts, the director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Office of School and Community Engagement, told NBC10 violence impacts children in a number of different ways, depending on the proximity of the violence to the child.
“Violence is typically unpredictable,” Dr. Watts said. “And that makes it even more traumatic.”
Dr. Watts told NBC10 children can suffer from behavioral, emotional and cognitive issues if they don’t feel safe at home or in their community. It can also impact their school attendance and performance. She said children who are frequently exposed to violence can struggle with regulating their emotions and may not know how to resolve issues in any other way, thus perpetuating the cycle.
“We have too many children who do, unfortunately, see gun violence as something they start to anticipate,” Dr. Watts said.
Dr. Watts told NBC10 if that threat is persistent, it becomes normalized in some communities.
“Children, because they are dependent upon adults to provide for their safety, are more vulnerable,” Dr. Watts said. “And when we as adults can’t secure their safety can’t ensure them that they will be okay. Then children feel even more powerless than they may like to.”
Bailey said starting Hope-Ish is giving her power to change her city. Since her father’s death in 2018, more than 11,000 people in the city have been shot. She told NBC10 she doesn’t want gun violence to become the norm. That’s why she’s doing what she can to help her community have hope.
“I’m not hopeless,” Bailey said. “So, I’m still hope-ish that it’s still going to end.”
“I would definitely give the world to hear him call me mom."
It’s been more than eight years since Felicia Pendelton last saw her oldest son.
“I would definitely give the world to hear him call me mom,” Pendelton said.
In March of 2016, Jayvon Mitchell-Pendelton was walking along North Bonsall Street, in the city’s Strawberry Mansion section, when an argument between two other people ensued, according to police. Mitchell-Pendelton was shot three times and rushed to Temple University Hospital.
By the time Felicia Pendelton got there, it was too late.
Jayvon was 20 years old.
“When you think about your baby, your child, you carry a child for nine months so you already love this child before they are even born,” said Pendelton. “So, for someone to take them out of this world, that's a different feeling. It's a pain that you can't even describe.”
To work through the grief, she started an organization called Mothers United by Angels, a group for other women in the city like her, who have lost their children to gun violence.
“There's no book on how to handle something like this,” said Pendelton. “It's just not expected.”
One of the people convicted of Jayvon’s murder was a 15-year-old. That year, only three juveniles were charged with a deadly shooting, according to information from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Over the last nine years, that total has risen, hitting a peak of 39 in 2022. This year, it’s up to at least 26.
Philadelphia First Assistant District Attorney Robert Listenbee told NBC10 more children are turning to guns to solve their problems.
“Most of the cases involve kids with other kids and most of them involve kids doing things that were unthinkable years ago, tracking down somebody that they want to shoot,” Listenbee said.
Not only are more juveniles being charged with these crimes, but they’re also making up a larger share of those victimized by gun violence. In 2015, young people made up just 6.5% of all shooting victims in the city. Now, it’s over 12%.
The city is working to find solutions. Last month, Philadelphia was awarded a $600,000 federal grant to launch a gun violence intervention initiative for juveniles. The two-year pilot program is in the 22nd District. That district includes Center City where more than 200 juveniles have been shot since 2015, more than any other district in the city, according to police data.
The goal of the initiative is to connect at-risk youth with resources so they can break the cycle of gun violence. Listenbee told NBC10 that starts with getting guns off the streets so they don’t wind up in the hands of a young person.
“It’s pretty clear they don’t understand the consequences, the conduct, and they don’t understand the impact of their actions,” Listenbee said. “They don’t understand how shooting somebody, in fact, impacts not only the person that’s being shot, but the entire family. Those are not things that most kids understand.”
“I wish I had someone like me as a youth."
Donnell Drinks was 17-years-old when he wound up in the justice system. He told NBC10 he was involved in a robbery that led to a victim being killed. Drinks then received a life sentence.
“Going through the system, you feel helpless," he said.
Drinks was sentenced more than three decades ago. He was then released from custody in 2018.
“You never forget your contribution to the crime,” Drinks said. “You never forget the victim.”
Drinks is now an advocate who focuses on teens and children 17-years-old and under. He told NBC10 he was in survival mode when he was that age. Now, he’s hearing from kids in the city who feel the same way he once felt.
“In one of the wealthiest nations, we are one of the poorest cities,” he said. “I can’t rationalize that.”
It was a point echoed by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner during a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Krasner spoke about a multi-pronged approach to juvenile justice, including prevention and rehabilitation as well as getting to the root of what is leading a growing portion of the youth to be involved in crimes, such as shootings.
“It seems like when we try to address the underlying issues – whether it’s a lack of skill, poverty, trauma, any number of things that may be there – when we do that and people work hard at it and they’re responsible for their actions in that way which is possible with mid and low level offenses, it’s in the interest of public safety,” Krasner said.
Krasner noted his support of Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel’s recent policy change. As of Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, Philadelphia police are no longer arresting juveniles for some low-level offenses.
“I don’t need to have cases in diversion if I see rehabilitation before they’re arrested,” Krasner said.
Krasner said his office is working on innovative programming related to juvenile justice though he didn’t go into detail about what that looks like.
Drinks, meanwhile, told NBC10 the biggest issue he sees is that kids are growing up too fast. That’s why he’s doing what he can to step up and be the support they need.
“I wish I had someone like me as a youth,” he said. “With the youth I am with, I try to stand in the gap that I wish someone stood in for me.”
