Emotional Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner Calls For Legislature To End Cash Bail After Another Violent Weekend
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia is on track to break records. To date, there's been a 33% increase in homicides from 2020. The victims of violent crimes are younger and younger.
According to city data, 123 gunshot victims this year were under the age of 18.
It was another violent weekend in Philadelphia. More than 30 people were shot, including several children. As Philadelphia surpassed 2,100 shooting incidents for 2021, it seems as if no one is safe anywhere, even inside of their homes with the doors locked as newly released surveillance video shows.
Two armed men knocked on a door on Annsbury Street in Hunting Park late Sunday night. After no response, police say the suspects walked across the steeet and started to fire.
The 41-year-old female homeowner was not injured, but police now need help identifying those suspects.
Even the city's youngest citizens are not immune. This weekend, a 1-year-old child was struck while inside of a corner store at 50th Street and Haverford Avenue in West Philly Saturday night.
"I'm a Philadelphian, I think we're all impacted by the ..." District Attorney Larry Krasner said. "I think we're all impacted by the injustice of children suffering wounds," Krasner said.
Krasner became emotional after CBS3's Matt Petrillo asked him at a news conference Monday how he's impacted by shootings with children victims.
Police say after the 1-year-old was hit, another person fired at the gunman and was arrested. But police still need help looking for the initial shooter.
"No mother, no child, no family should live in fear in their community," Krasner said.
Now, as the city faces a record homicide rate, Krasner is again calling on the state legislature to get rid of cash bail, arguing it allows some repeat offenders to get out of jail.
"Until then, my office is going to be begging a bunch of judges and a bunch of bail commissioners to do something they're not used to doing, which is applying high bails," Krasner said.
Another shooting in West Philadelphia overnight left three teens injured, and responding officers were shot at while trying to help those victims to hospitals. The officers were not physically hurt.