Homicides are spiking in Philly, are there any new solutions?

As Philadelphia's homicide rate increases, we'll examine what is driving the increase, and what new solutions there might be to this epidemic.

Air Date: August 12, 2020

Police investigate a drive-by shooting in Germantown on Oct. 3, 2018. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Guests: Kendra Van de Water, Juwan Z. Bennett, Mikaya Taylor

Philadelphia is experiencing an epidemic of gun violence. Shootings are up 36% and many of the victims have been children. City council declared an emergency hearings this week to figure out how to address the crisis. This hour, what is behind the spike in shootings and homicides in the city? And what can be done to curb it, particularly during the COVID pandemic? Joining us is KENDRA VAN de WATER, co-founder of YEAH Philly, and JUWAN Z. BENNET, a criminal justice PhD candidate at Temple University. We’ll also hear from MIKAYA TAYLOR, a Philadelphia resident and counselor with the ECO Foundation, who recently lost a brother and cousin to gun violence.

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