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Emergency meeting called after mass shooting near Philly rec center
An emergency community meeting was held Tuesday night in response to last week’s mass shooting near Christy Recreation Center in West Philly.
PHILADELPHIA - Less than a week after a shooting at Christy Rec Center injured two teens, three young children, and an employee, community members in West Philadelphia gathered for an emergency meeting to address the trauma and seek solutions.
What we know:
The meeting was hosted by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and attended by residents, elected officials, and law enforcement.
The shooting occurred at 57th and Christian near Christy Rec Center, leaving the community shaken.
What they're saying:
"I felt bad. I am traumatized," said a resident.
"I was there when those shots rang out. I ran up here for these kids," said the man. Residents came out with heavy hearts for the emergency community meeting.
Nicole Crawford, a resident whose family has lived in the area for over 60 years, shared her fear.
"I was deeply affected because my children go here. My daughters just got home in that moment. I was scared for them," said Crawford.
Councilmember Gauthier highlighted past efforts to improve safety at the site, including a $3.5 million investment in upgrades.
She says since the murder of Kahree Simmons on the basketball court here in 2021, elected officials have pledged to make this a safer place.
"We have invested $3.5 million in safety upgrades and cosmetic upgrades to the site and we had seen that violence go way down. And so it felt like a setback but we have renewed commitment to coming together," she said.
What's New:
Law enforcement briefed the community on the investigation, revealing that a 17-year-old suspect facing 14 counts of aggravated assault turned himself in.
Suspect arrested in Philadelphia rec center mass shooting: police
Keon Kiah, 17, has been arrested and faces 13 counts of aggravated assault and related charges for a mass shooting that occurred near the Christy Recreation Center Pool Wednesday, police say.
The District Attorney's Office is trying him as an adult, with bail set at over $4 million.
Anna Walters from the DA's office noted that six shooting victims have been identified, five of whom were children, with the youngest being just eight years old.
"They're not going to let fear control them. They want to engage and find out how we can help one another," said Senator Anthony Williams.
The District Attorney said he is committed to getting the entire story, all involved and finding out where the guns came from.
"The only way this kind of thing stops for good is when you get all of it," said District Attorney Larry Krasner.
The Source: The information in this story is from the Philadelphia Police, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.