Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Monday pushed back on the notion that the city is gripped by a violent crime crisis, despite a record number of homicides in what has become the most deadly year in its history.
Krasner insisted that while gun violence is up, other violent crime categories are down.
“We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence,” the district attorney said at his weekly news briefing in South Philadelphia, noting that violent crimes committed without guns are down. “It’s important that we don’t let this become mushy and bleed into the notion that there is some kind of big spike in crime.”
Almost 500 people dead: Philadelphia is about to set a grim record for homicides
Krasner, who won a second four-year term last month, launched into the retort after being asked by a reporter if tourists should be wary of coming into the city for the holidays, given the record number of killings.
“No, they should not,” he said. “They should come into the city of Philadelphia, they should enjoy every wonderful thing this city offers, in terms of shopping, in terms of staying overnight, in terms dining out, in terms of walking around with their kids, wearing their mittens, they should enjoy all of that.”
As of Monday morning, the city had recorded 521 homicides, up from 462 at this time last year, according to the police department. Shooting incidents are up 4.4% while robberies with guns are up 24.7%.
But other robberies are down 13.8%, rapes are down 11%; aggravated assaults are down 7.1%. And while household burglaries are up 1%, commercial burglaries are down 55.1%, according to the police department.
As Philadelphia records 500th homicide, Mayor Kenney takes aim at the state: ‘They don’t care’
Krasner said it was important to recognize the distinctions between rising gun violence and all other violent crimes.
“A rape without a gun is not gun violence — it is truly a terrible crime that’s right up there at the level of homicide; a robbery in which someone hits you in the head with a rock is a terrible violent crime, but it’s not gun violence,” he said. “And it’s very important if we want to fix things that we’re specific and we’re careful at diagnosing the problem.”
The prosecutor criticized news organizations for what he believes is the conflation of the two.
“I understand that there is a long tradition in journalism of reporting around terrible crimes and, frankly, selling newspapers off of it, selling clicks, selling newspaper coverage,” Krasner said. “But we all have to resort to the truth. We all have know what we’re talking about.”
Leroy Muhammad, a founder of community groups the Black Male Community Council, Philly Truce and the Philadelphia chapter of 10 Thousand Fearless, said he agrees with Krasner, although that shouldn’t diminish the focus on solutions.
“What he said is factual. Our concern has been, and will continue to be, what needs to happen to bring about a cessation in violence all together? Gun violence is up, but all forms of violence is a problem and something that I’m against,” he said in an interview. “Someone being sucker-punched is too much. There are so many people who are traumatized by being assaulted in the streets.”
Stanley Crawford, who cofounded the Families of Unsolved Murder Victims Project shortly after his son was slain in 2018, said Krasner should be “ashamed” of himself for making the distinction between gun crime and other offenses. .
“How insensitive must you be to make a statement like that when you know how many people have been shot and murdered and the arrest rate is atrocious,” Crawford said.
“There’s been 521 murders and the year isn’t even done yet. We had a pregnant woman shot in the stomach to kill the baby before it got out of the womb; we had a 14-year-old-boy shot 18 times coming home from school; you got a 67-year-old a man driving by Lincoln High School shot in the head and killed,” Crawford said. “I can’t believe that he said that.”
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“Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Monday pushed back on the notion that the city is gripped by a violent crime crisis, despite a record number of homicides in what has become the most deadly year in its history.”
“We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence,” the district attorney said at his weekly news briefing in South Philadelphia, noting that violent crimes committed without guns are down. “ (being stabbed to death doesn’t count)
This FOOL is defiantly a disgraceful, dishonest, professional politician of the treasonous socialist Democrat Party.
To Democrats, GOD, Truth, Facts, Reality and History are all irrelevant,
If the Democrats do not WANT to believe them.
Democrats will just make up their own gods, Truth, Facts, Reality, History or voter tally
to fit what they WANT to believe or fits into the Con or Deception
that they are running at the time.
When they sent Seth Williams, to prison they clearly incarcerated the wrong District Attorney.
Bring back the Honorable Lynn Abraham and Honorable Frank Rizzo and this crime spree will end FORTHWITH.
THAT IS typical of liberals.. REALITY DOESN’T count only what THEY THIN and see does.
When employer sent employee to Philly for night work and employee was told not to stand in front of or near windows for fear of being shot at then yes there is still filthy criminals ruling the streets in Philly and yes the crime is worsening daily.
I’d REFUSE TO DO that job!
“Krasner insisted that while gun violence is up, other violent crime categories are down.” It’s the gun violence, Larry, that tourists are going to be most concerned about, so any reduction in “other crimes” is of no consolation.
“We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence,” Like Biden in regarding the Southern Border—like Chicago—like San Francisco—like Minneapolis—you have “challenges”. You can play semantics all you want—the truth is—you have a big crime problem.
“Krasner, who won a second four-year term last month, launched into the retort after being asked by a reporter if tourists should be wary of coming into the city for the holidays, given the record number of killings.” He won a second four-year term last month—and there is the crux of the problem—stupid voters—and not diminishing his stupidity at all. How in Hell does a city with this much of a crime problem re-elect such an imbecile into office and expect positive change??? I know I harp on this a lot, but human stupidity amazes me. As human beings, we all have the same body parts that perform the same function from one to another—but brains???—they’re all over the place.
Son Of Thunder : “He won a second four-year term last month—and there is the crux of the problem—stupid voters—and not diminishing his stupidity at all.”
When we elect representatives like the demented puppet Joe Biden, Tinkerbell Obama, the hateful Nancy Pelosi, racist Maxine Waters, liar Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, Kamala Harris, radical Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley who intentionally pit one group against another to divide the country and cultivate hate and distrust, you got to ask yourself; what are the motives of these type people? To lead the country into prosperity OR to gain control, stay in power any way possible and to dominate the citizens?
They certainly don’t deserve OUR SYMPATHY, then, if they STUPIDLY RE-elected this dolt.
I feel safer in ANY city in Israel than in ANY Democrat run city in the United States!
Some of my marine friends say they felt SAVER OVER IN IRAQ, than they do in a # of libtard ran leftist cities…..
“We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence,” But please wear a coat with a target on the back so criminals will be less likely to shoot innocent bystanders!
DA Larry Krasner declared after the last election that he has a mandate?
Fact Check: Not True! It is simply the case of his Democratic Political Party having more than a 8-1 edge over the Republican Party in voter registration! CASE CLOSED!
As gutfelt said monday, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when the voter base is SO SHANKED UP, that ONLY ONE party effectively has any power in that state.. THERE is no opposition party, to PUT on the breaks for these brainless calls, the dems KEEP making…
My Wife is from Philly (born and raised) and she refuses to go back as the place has become a crime filled excrement hole.
“Krasner insisted that while gun violence is up, other violent crime categories are down.”
This is how statistics can be manipulated. For example, if in 2020 there were 1000 violent crimes, 500 gun related and 500 not gun related. Then in 2021 there is 1100 violent crimes, 700 gun related and 400 not gun related. So based on this hypothetical example, what Krasner said was absolutely correct. But it ignores the fact there were 200 more crimes committed with guns and 10% more total violent crimes. It’s pretty easy to use statistics to propagate a lie.
ESPECIALLY when they stack the deck WITH those stats!
There are lies
DAMN LIES
and statistics!
Boy is this guy a lying piece of raw sewage. At least the LA cops did say LA wasn’t safe for tourist for the same reason Philly isn’t safe for tourist.