PHILADELPHIA — Gun violence across Philadelphia left seven people, including a 15-year-old boy, dead on Monday, Philadelphia police told Fox News in an email, as homicides in the city continue to soar.
The murders brought the city’s homicide count to 62 for the year, according to the department’s crime statistics, showing a sharp rise over the 40 homicides recorded up to the same date last year. It was a 55% increase in homicides compared to 2018 during the same 39-day period, Fox reported.
“Narcotics are driving a lot of these shootings and some of these homicides,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters at a press conference Tuesday, claiming the department was gaining ground “until yesterday.”
The shooting of the 15-year-old happened in South Philadelphia on the 2900 block of Morris Street, FOX29 Philadelphia reported. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police Captain Jason Smith told reporters that detectives believe the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
