Less than three months into 2023, the city of Philadelphia has surpassed the 100-homicide mark. District Attorney Larry Krasner marked the milestone by urging parents to keep guns out of the home.
His comments come as prosecutors are evaluating a case over the weekend where a 10-year-old accidentally shot a 12-year-old in the city’s Strawberry Mansion section.
Krasner said they were considering charges in the case, but had to finish the investigation before making any final decisions.
He said guns are dangerous in the home, even when secured properly. When unsecured, they can be left open for children to play with and sometimes harm others.
“The truth is, you are in five times as much danger if you put a gun in your home as if you don’t,” Kranser said Monday.
“It makes just as much sense if you keep hand grenades in the house,” he added, comparing unsecured loaded guns to leaving grenades around children.
“If everyone kept hand grenades around the house, you would hear a lot of booms because that’s what happens. I would encourage parents not to get guns, but if they are going to keep them for some sort of legitimate purpose, they need to be kept secure, with gun locks and unloaded.”
Philadelphia has had just over 100 homicides this year, which is 14% less than over the same period last year.
“I am hopeful that a more specific and meaningful conversation will be had during this election cycle, but the key to this is a balance between modern enforcement community policing and a significant investment in prevention,” he said.
Krasner also called for more frequent use of forensics to help find killers, along with higher bail amounts in violent gun crime cases. He’s repeatedly said that bail in gun cases often falls far below accepted minimums.
If you or someone you know has been affected by gun violence in Philadelphia, you can find grief support and resources online.
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