As of Friday evening, 501 homicides had been registered in eastern Pennsylvania for the year, according to 6ABC News, shattering the record established in 1990.
"It's terrible every morning to get up and have to go look at the numbers and then look at the news and see the stories. It's just crazy," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced at a press conference. "It's just crazy and this needs to stop."
The 501st homicide occurred when a 30-year-old man was discovered after being shot five times. The man was later brought to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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"There are people making money selling these guns, making these guns, and the Legislature, not the people behind me, don't care," Kenney announced, slamming gun manufacturers and retailers. "They don't care how many people get killed. It's ridiculous."
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In 2020, Philadelphia registered 499 homicides for the year.
Kenny announced "cities like Boston and New York" are not "dealing with this problem" the same way that Philadelphia is, citing "strict gun laws."
One of the latest fatalities was a Temple University student only months away from graduating.
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In a statement, Temple University said that Samuel Sean Collington, 21, of Prospect Park, Pa., died from fatal gunshot wounds during an apparent attempted robbery Sunday afternoon near the North Philadelphia campus.
"This attack … only further highlights the senseless gun violence that continues to grip the city of Philadelphia," announced Temple's executive director of public safety, Charlie Leone. "We mourn the loss of a bright and thriving political science student and share in the wrenching grief of his family and friends."
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Leone said that the senior majoring in political science was set to graduate from Temple's College of Liberal Arts in the spring. University officials said he worked as a democracy fellow for the Office of the Philadelphia City Commissioners.
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"This is a true tragedy in every sense of the word," Leone stated. "As a father, this truly breaks my heart and is incomprehensible."
Sources told WPVI Collington was shot throughout an apparent attempted robbery after parking his car not far from where he lived near campus. He had left his mother's SUV after returning from Thanksgiving at his family's home when he was shot twice in the chest, police announced.