Philadelphia Officials Grilled During Fiery Meeting About Safety In Queen Village After South Street Mass Shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw answered tough questions from residents in Queen Village who say they are terrified. Neighbors say lawlessness is to blame for the rise in violent crime.
Residents say it's not just about the mass shooting on South Street. They're concerned about ATVs, destruction of property, and the overall lack of enforcement on South Street.
"Does Larry Krasner support the Philadelphia Police Department because that's not what we see?" one woman asked.
Residents in Queen Village expressed their frustrations in a community meeting geared toward finding solutions to crime.
"To understand what the rule book is. What will and can the police arrest for? What will and can the DA's office prosecute for?" Queen Village Neighbors Association President Eleanor Ingersoll said.
Ingersoll organized the meeting that put Outlaw and Krasner at the forefront. About 400 people packed the auditorium at George W. Nebinger Elementary School Wednesday.
"I want to know what's being done about South Street when there's tens of thousands of people on South Street and the police are doing nothing," one citizen asked.
This Q&A comes days after a mass shooting on South Street left two victims and a gunman dead and 12 others injured.
Some of the questions were geared toward the lack of enforcement of the rules.
"Officers are human beings and whether real or perceived events over the last couple of years have had a very chilling effect over our ability to do our jobs," Outlaw said.
Outlaw says the department is ramping up its presence in areas where large crowds gather but says the department is down officers.
"After last Saturday, we're hearing everything that you're saying. Adjustments have been made," Outlaw said.
Krasner says his office has been prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent.
"We're talking about people who are deliberately blocking passageways. Those are things that we prosecute and we try to do justice with every single case," Krasner said.
After nearly two hours of dialogue, some residents say they walked out with the same uneasiness they had walking in.
"Everyone just wanted to know what happens Friday night differently," one resident said.
The police department says it will have an added presence on South Street this weekend and at major festivals.
They also want residents to get involved and let them know when an officer should have taken action but didn't.
