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‘Mad or nah?’: Kenney remains unwilling to declare gun violence a citywide emergency

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Gov. Tom Wolf joins Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (center) and other state and local leaders to coordinate efforts to reduce gun violence. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Nearly a year has passed since Philadelphia City Council adopted a resolution urging Mayor Jim Kenney to declare gun violence a citywide emergency.

By the end of 2020, the city recorded 499 homicides, the most since the early 1990s.

As the summer heats up, the city finds its homicide rate up more than 30% over this time last year. Still, the mayor resists making such a declaration.

Tamara Russell, aka P.O.C., hit the streets of Philadelphia to hear how residents feel about the mayor’s hesitancy, which he says stems from, at least in part, protecting the public’s civil liberties.

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