A 14-year-old male child was shot twice in West Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, and police said he is in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
The victim, who was not identified, was shot once in the left arm and once in the right leg shortly before 3 p.m. near 54th and Arch streets, police said.
He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital. No arrests have been made.
There have been 14 people 17 years old or younger killed in Philadelphia in 2021. There have been 60 people 17 or younger who have been shot this year, far exceeding previous years' totals.
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Overall, as of April 8, there were 388 nonfatal shootings in Philadelphia this year, according to data from the District Attorney’s Office. That is a 42% increase from the same time in 2020, but even before then, nonfatal shootings had been rising since 2017.
Earlier this month, federal officials announced an “all-hands-on-deck” approach that would add resources to prosecute local gun crimes. Former Mayor Ed Rendell even floated the idea of bringing back retired police officers.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
