In Philadelphia: 12,000 chalk outlines represent annual toll of US gun homicides

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Jim MacMillan

For about 12 hours Saturday, local artist Peter Quinn and a team of volunteers drew thousands of chalk body outlines across all four lanes of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from 20th Street to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

Quinn describes “American Casualties: A Drawing,” as a community art project intended as “a visual image of the devastation of gun violence in America each year.”

Quinn crowd-funded the project, raising more that $8,000 at Kickstarter.com to for chalk, city permits, and to document the project.

Visit “American Casualties: A Drawing” at facebook.com/AmericanCasualtiesDrawing and on Twitter @12000bodies.

Larry Kane interviewed Quinn and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in advance of the project for CBS3: Artist Transforms Some Of Philadelphia Into Canvas Reflecting Crisis In America.

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Surveillance video: Suspects sought after triple shooting

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jim MacMillan

The Philadelphia Police Department is seeking assistance from the public to identify three suspects wanted after a robbery and shooting early Tuesday morning.

Three men with guns entered the No#1 Kitchen Chinese Restaurant located at 2500 North 5th Street early Tuesday morning and robbed three customers inside at gunpoint when, according to phillypolice.com, one of the suspects opened fire and struck all three victims.

The suspects fled on foot with cash and cell phones taken from the victims, according to police. Tom Kelly IV covered the incident for the Gun Crisis Reporting Project.

Police advise citizens to avoid approaching the suspects if spotted and contact 911 immediately. To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847. For more info, visit phillypolice.com.

If you want to get involved in gun violence reduction in Philadelphia, please consider volunteering with or donating to one of the organizations under our Network tab. If you would like us to add your group to our list, please email us at info@guncrisis.org.

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Police release surveillance video of suspects sought in Nicetown shooting

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jim MacMillan

Via blog.phillypolice.com: The Philadelphia Police Department’s Northwest Detectives Division is looking to identify the suspects for a shooting in Tioga.