Dozens Gather to Remember Victims of Violence in 2015

On Wednesday evening, those who've lost loved ones to violence, gathered to remember victims. And they weren't the only ones taking a look back at crime this year.

Philadelphia Police Department releasing crime statistics and the results were mixed.

FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson joined us live from Philadelphia's police department's headquarters.
Each balloon represents a life lost in violence in Philadelphia this year. Each released during a vigil tonight near 15th and Susquehanna in North Philly.

Tiffany Hellams' brother, 25- year-old Saleem, was murdered almost 4 years ago. She is honest about the scars she still carries.

"What yall going to do keep killing each other. We got to stop killing each other," Tiffany Hellams said.
"I sat on the couch for 16 months and drank my life away. I was out of work for 16 months. This is real it's so real."

21-year old Mark Rawstein organized the vigil after losing several people close to him. He wants the killing to stop.

"The crime that we got in Philly right now it's like 200 something higher than 200 that's a lot of crime," Rawstein said.

His mom Markida Ross called for healing.

"This is serious. Your lives matter," Ross said. "Maybe get a little healing closure from this that they have loss to gun violence or police brutality."

The Vigil comes on the same day Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey gave a year-end report on crime. As of today, there have been 275 homicides, a 12% increase from last year. Shootings are up 18% and 84% of homicide victims died of gunshot wounds.

"That's troubling because that does represent an increase in the number of gunshot victims and that's not good we have a lot of illegal guns out there and people not afraid to use guns," Ramsey said.