Philadelphia is suing Pennsylvania so the city can enact stronger gun control laws
The legal action comes as local lawmakers struggle to combat rising violence, with homicides hitting a decade-long high.
4 years ago
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City officials gathered on a basketball court in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood to announce a lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s Firearm Preemption Laws, which officials say prevent cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from enacting common-sense gun laws. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Philadelphia has made numerous efforts to quell the gun violence that has risen over the last four years.
Mayor Jim Kenney established the Office of Violence Prevention in 2017.
In 2019, the city released the Roadmap for Safer Communities, a comprehensive plan to ensure public safety. That same year, the Philadelphia Police Department launched Operation Pinpoint, a technology-driven approach to prevent homicides.
Most recently, the city began to implement Group Violence Intervention, an evidence-based approach that centers on the roles community support and social services play in gun violence reduction. And yet, in 2020, Philadelphia is projected to exceed 400 homicides, a death count not seen since 2006.
Running out of options, the City of Philadelphia has sued Pennsylvania, seeking the right to enact stronger gun laws. Tamara Russell, aka Revive POC, hit the streets of Philadelphia to see what residents think about the city’s lawsuit against the state.
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