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On November 25, Friday, surveillance cameras in Frankford, Philadelphia, captured the non-fatal shooting of a 37-year-old Parking Authority officer near Orthodox street.
In the footage of the incident, the Philadelphia Parking Authority officer can be seen walking down the sidewalk. The suspect, who approaches the officer from behind, is seen in dark trousers and a hooded sweatshirt.
Trigger warning: Viewer discretion is advised
Subsequently, the suspect stands directly behind the officer and draws a handgun, shooting the victim at close range. As the Parking Authority officer collapses, the gunman jogs away from the scene of the crime. Philadelphia authorities reported that the victim sustained critical injuries in the incident.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority officer is currently in stable condition
According to CBS, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore addressed the crime in an official statement last week, noting that authorities have not yet determined the motive behind the attack.
Vanore said:
"It's bold. It's brazen and something we're definitely going to do everything we can to solve immediately."
ABC reported that the Parking Authority officer was known in the Frankford neighborhood. Bamba Sisoko, a resident of the area, spoke to reporters about the unnamed victim.
Sisoko said:
"I speak to him every day. He's a good guy, really nice guy."
Authorities reported that the victim is currently in stable condition.
Gun violence in Philadelphia
While the Frankford shooting was considered particularly audacious by Philadelphia authorities, the city is no stranger to gun violence. The official website for the Office of the Controller reported that in 2022, the city has already seen 471 homicides and over 1712 non-fatal shooting victims.
As per the New York Times, gun violence is particularly prominent in the West and North Philadelphia, areas reportedly afflicted by gang activity. Jonathan Wilson, the director of a non-profit organization surveying gun violence in the city, explained how prevalent guns were in certain parts of the city.
Wilson said:
“Everybody is armed. Nobody’s without a gun in these ZIP codes, because they’ve always been dangerous.”
As per Axios, while police often seize illegal guns from the streets, it seems to make a marginal difference. Sister Taleah Taylor, a member of the anti-violence organization City of Dreams Coalition, explained that improving the circumstances of young people was the only path to true change.
Taylor said:
"The reality is that nothing is going to get fixed until we change our foundation. It's the same cycle. It's just more vicious."
Angelic Bradley, another anti-violence advocate, echoed this sentiment.
Bradley told Axios:
"The fear is kill or be killed. They get caught up because they don't see the signs. We all have that intuition when something doesn't feel right. They run directly to the issue instead of running away."
The Frankford shooting remains under investigation.
