The City of Philadelphia has recorded 100 murders in less than 100 days for the second time in as many years. Philadelphia’s murder rate is currently higher than it was at this time last year, which ended up being the city’s deadliest year on record.
A man who was shot and killed in West Philadelphia on Thursday night became the city’s 100th murder victim in 2022. According to CBS Philadelphia, the homicide rate is now up 8% over this time last year. A total of 562 people were killed in 2021, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. This set a new grisly record for the city, which had only recorded 500 murders one other time in the 90’s during the height of the crack epidemic.
“We are devastated that 100 people have been murdered this year,” wrote Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw in a tweet. Outlaw previously served as police commissioner in Portland, Oregon. “PPD will continue to utilize every resource we have to stem this tide of violence, and will not rest until we bring to justice those who seek to cause harm,” Outlaw continued.
Homicide rates spiked in city’s nationwide in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and BLM riots. In Philadelphia, however, the murder rate was already trending up as of 2019.
Critics blame the policies of Soros-linked District Attorney Larry Krasner, who has made “bail reform” a central theme of his tenure. There have been multiple high-profile violent crimes committed by felons released as a result of Krasner’s policies. Krasner, who easily swatted a Democratic primary challenge last year, made a career off of suing the police and has vowed to hold law enforcement “accountable” throughout his tenure.
The City of Philadelphia has also seen in a rise in several non-homicide-related violent crime categories. One such category would be car jackings, which have risen dramatically since 2020. As of February 26, of this year, there had already been 203 car jackings in Philadelphia. There had only been 34 as of that date in 2020.
Car jackings have become prevalent even in the city’s historically safe neighborhoods. U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) had her car stolen not far from Philadelphia’s sports complex, which is generally considered to be one of the city’s safest areas.
