Yesterday’s mass shooting continues Philadelphia’s record-setting gun violence, with over 250 shooting victims in 2021, disproportionately affecting Black residents
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Adam Garber, Executive Director, CeaseFirePA Education Fund
adam.garber@ceasefirepa.org
(267) 515-1220
Liam Sullivan, Press Secretary, Brady
lsullivan@bradyunited.org
February 18, 2021
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – In just the first 48 days of 2021 Philadelphia has seen over 250 shooting victims in 2021, including the eight individuals shot in the mass shooting in the Olney Neighborhood yesterday, a clear continuation of the record, daily gun violence seen in 2020. Recognizing this violent milestone, Brady and CeasefirePA Education Fund renew calls for the city to take immediate action to address gun violence, which has touched all of the city’s residents but has disproportionately affected Black Philadelphians. City residents and officials along with media outlets have demanded comprehensive action that heals and invests in communities. It is far past time to fund such programs and initiatives to stop this violence.
CeasefirePA Education Fund Executive Director Adam Garber shared:
“Philadelphians are under fire. Today we’re talking about a mass shooting in Olney that tragically injured or killed eight people in one place. This year 250 people have been shot or killed in the city. That is an average of a mass shooting occurring across the city every single day of the year with no end in sight. Whether eight people are shot in one place or across Philadelphia in a day, this is the definition of a public health crisis that demands action. We must invest in communities and our state legislature must stop tying the hands of local officials who want to save the lives of their constituents.”
Brady Director of Racial Justice Kelly Sampson shared:
“Today, the gun violence epidemic once again left Philadelphia reeling after eight people were shot in broad daylight. This shooting continues 2020’s tragic trend of increasing gun violence; that year reportedly more than 2,240 people shot, 40 percent more than any year on record. This entirely preventable crisis, which disproportionately affects Philadelphia’s Black residents, has not abated. And to make matters worse, those Black Philadelphians, who have to contend with disproportionate gun violence, also have to contend with institutional racism and militarized policing, both of which only further compound gun violence. These communities need investment to not only prevent violence but to help heal the daily trauma they endure. They need action now.”
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About Brady:
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
About CeasefirePA Education Fund:
CeaseFirePA Education Fund is the Commonwealth’s leading gun violence prevention organization dedicated to ending gun violence through education, coalition building, and advocacy. You can learn more about them by visiting CeaseFirePA.org
