A wave of violence on public transit
Philadelphia is facing a surge of violence on its public transit system, as gunmen have targeted buses and bus stops in four separate incidents in the past week. The latest shooting occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when three suspects fired more than 30 shots from a car at a group of high school students waiting for a bus near a Dunkin’ shop in the Burholme neighborhood. Eight teenagers, ranging in age from 15 to 17, were wounded in the attack, with one in critical condition.
The victims were students from Northeast High School, the largest public high school in the city with more than 3,000 students. The shooting happened near Crossan Elementary School, which was dismissing students at the time but pulled them back inside and locked down. Police said the motive for the shooting was unclear, but they released surveillance footage of the suspects’ car and urged the public to help identify them.
A city in crisis
The bus stop shooting was the fourth on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) system in as many days, and the third that resulted in fatalities. On Monday, a 17-year-old boy was killed and four others were injured in a shooting at a bus stop in North Philadelphia. On Tuesday, a passenger was shot and killed on a bus in South Philadelphia, and another passenger was fatally shot on a bus in West Philadelphia.
The spate of shootings has shaken the city and its transit riders, who rely on SEPTA for their daily commute. SEPTA officials said they were working closely with the police to increase security and prevent further violence. They also said two buses were struck by gunfire during Wednesday’s shooting, but no passengers or employees were harmed.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, who visited the scene of the shooting with the city’s police commissioner, prosecutor, and school superintendent, said she wanted people in the city to know that “we will not be held hostage, that we will use every legal tool in the toolbox to ensure the public health and safety of the people of our city.”
A call for action
The bus stop shooting also sparked outrage and calls for action from local leaders and community members, who demanded an end to the senseless violence and more support for the youth. Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke said the shooting was “an act of domestic terrorism” and called for a state of emergency declaration. He also urged the state and federal governments to provide more resources and funding for gun violence prevention and intervention programs.
The Philadelphia School District said it was providing counseling and support services for the students and staff affected by the shooting, and that it was working with the police to ensure the safety of its schools. The district also said it was launching a new initiative to address the trauma and mental health needs of its students, who have been exposed to unprecedented levels of violence and disruption during the pandemic.
The Philadelphia Student Union, a group of youth activists, said the shooting was a result of the systemic neglect and oppression of the city’s marginalized communities. The group called for more investment in education, health care, housing, and jobs, and less in policing and incarceration. The group also said it was organizing a rally and march on Friday to demand justice and peace for the victims and their families.
