Epicenter of Philly gun violence found in a few ZIP codes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- 2022 was a violent year in Philadelphia. 514 people were killed in the city; on average, that's more than one person murdered per day.
In total, 2,273 people were shot in Philadelphia last year, according to data provided by the Philadelphia Police Department. That's slightly less than 2021, but it's still well above 2019 before the pandemic.
CBS Philadelphia found many shootings are concentrated in just several neighborhoods, leaving behind a horrible toll of trauma for those living in those areas.
Security video from October shows three gunmen running from a vehicle and ambushing a 19-year-old man.
They were firing more than two dozen times, killing the victim, Tahmir Jones, outside his home on North 13th Street near Spring Garden. His mother rushed to the scene.
"Leaving work, I think I broke every traffic law to get to my front door just to see my son's blood on my front steps," Theresa Guyton, Jones's mother, said.
Shooting data from Philadelphia police obtained and analyzed by CBS3 shows Philadelphia's gun violence epicenters can be found in just a handful of ZIP codes.
Among the top three:
- 19124, which includes Frankford, Feltonville and Juniata. with just over 180 shootings last year
- Nearby 19140, which covers parts of North Philadelphia, Nicetown-Tioga and Hunting Park, had 196 shootings
- By far the most violent area is 19134. That area mostly includes Kensington and reveals a shocking 270 shootings
Here is a full list of all Philadelphia ZIP codes and shooting incidents:
"It's a tremendous challenge just to grow up in those neighborhoods," Brandon Delpozo from Brown University said.
Delpozo is a former NYC officer and now, a Brown University assistant professor. He recently published a study on the impacts of nonstop gun violence in concentrated areas.
"There's this generation of young men growing up who will be forever changed by simply the trauma of growing up where they live," he said.
He also says violence often leads to more violence, a topic Jones and his mother often talked about.
"Those conversations came up," Guyton said. "Like, what's the end game? Jail or going six feet under? Like, what is the end game? My plea was always, 'go to school, get an education, it's gonna be alright.'"
Philadelphia police captured two gunmen in Jones's shooting. A third gunman remains on the run.
