Shootings in Philadelphia are down this year so far after the city has seen three consecutive years of record-setting gun violence, write Chris Palmer, Ellie Rushing, and Dylan Purcell for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The numbers have plummeted to levels that rival the lowest pace the city has seen in nearly two decades.

For example, fewer than 100 people have been shot in each of the last seven months for the first time in a decade, and the number of victims so far this year is about half of the total at the height of the pandemic.

An Inquirer analysis of police statistics also found that the drop in shootings has been citywide, as only one of the city’s 21 police districts has recorded year-over-year increase in shootings. 

The drop comes even as the city continues facing some of the same challenges it did during the height of the violence crisis, including low police staffing, high gun sales, and the city’s sustained status as having one of the worst poverty levels.

While some key city stakeholders believe that law enforcement has been taking effective steps to address the gun violence issue, they admit the answers could remain difficult to pinpoint.

“Some of it we may never be able to put a handle on,” said Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.

Read more about Philly’s dropping gun violence levels at The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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