Anthony Salley, 23

On March 30, around 11 pm, on the 1800 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue, police found Anthony Salley, 23, black male suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Salley of the 3800 block of Haverford Avenue was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have no motive or suspect.

The city's body count for 2008: 70

Third Grader Brings Gun to School

Last night, police say an eight-year-old boy took a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic gun from a dresser drawer in his home, placed it inside of his book bag and, the next day, brought it into his school, the Mann Elementary School at 1835 N. 54th Street in West Philadelphia. The student then took the gun, turned it over to his teacher, and told her the gun was found in his book bag. The teacher notified her school administration, who contacted the police, who are now investigating the incident.

Hasan Deloach, 30

At 3:22 am this morning on the 4600 block of Parrish Street, police found Hasan Deloach, a 30-year-old black male, lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Police transported Deloach, of the 2100 block of Simpson Street, to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead at 3:55 am.

Police have arrested Creg Howell, a 22-year-old black male, of the 5300 block of Harmer Street, for Deloach's murder.

The city's body count for 2008: 69

Sean Patrick Conroy, 36

On March 23, at 2:32 pm, SEPTA police were patrolling the Market-Frankford concourse at 13th and Market when they observed a group of males punching another male. During the altercation, the victim, Sean Patrick Conroy, a 36-year-old white male, fell to the ground in respiratory distress. Convoy was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:09 pm.

Today the medical examiner ruled Convoy's death a homicide, the result of an asthma attack "brought on by blunt force trauma."

According to news reports, four male Simon Gratz High School students, skipped classes and attacked Conroy in the train station for no apparent reason. Robbery was ruled out as a motive.

Police have identified one student, Kinta Stanton, a 16-year-old black male from the 4900 block of North Smedley Street. Stanton has been arrested and will be charged as an adult with murder and criminal conspiracy.

Police are searching for the other suspects.

Update:
On April 2, police charged four more teens with Conroy's death: Arthur Alston, 16, black male; Rasheem Bell, 16, black male; Ameer Best, 17, black male; and Nashir Fisher, 16, black male. The four have been charged with murder and conspiracy.

Three Dead on Easter Sunday

On March 23, at 2:44 am, police responded to a shooting at 2400 South 72nd Street.  Upon arrival police found Bao Nguien, a 23-year-old Asian male, lying outside the Phoung Thanh Cafe with a gunshot wound to the chest.  Nguien was transported to Einstein Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 3:08 am. Sources say gambling was involved.

At 6:02 pm, on the 2000 block of North 11th Street, police found Kevin Parker, a 22-year-old black male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body.  Parker was transported to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:23 pm.

At 9:56 pm, police responded to a call of a person with a gun at 5000 Wakefield Street.  Upon arrival, police found Johnathan Palmer, 20-year-old black male, lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the face and chest. Palmer was transported to Einstein Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 10:15 pm.

The city's body count for 2008: 67

Double Shooting at 5000 Parish Street

On March 22, at 7:03 pm, police found 38-year-old James Lane, a black male, lying on the porch by the front door of his house, located on the 5000 block of Parrish Street. Police say Lane had a gun next to him.  He was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:18 pm.

The second victim, Raphael Ray Richburg, a 21-year-old black male from 400 south 49th Street, was found lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. Richburg was transported to the University of Pennsylvania where he was pronounced dead at 7:37 pm.

Police say the victims apparently knew the shooter. 

The city's body count for 2008: 64

Maurice Shaw, 33

Yesterday on the 5700 block of Walnut Street, at 11:28 am, Maurice Shaw, a 33-year-old black male, suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest and back. Police say his attacker fled in a vehicle traveling north on 57th Street toward Chestnut. A witness transported Shaw to Misericordia Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:45 am.

The city's body count for 2008: 62

Robert Daniels, 60

On March 18, at 8:43 pm, police were called to the 2000 block of West Tioga Street. Upon arrival, they found Robert Daniels, a 60-year-old black male, suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest and arms in a second floor apartment. Daniels was transported to Temple University Hospital and was pronounced dead at 9:38 pm.

The city's body count for 2008: 61

Marcus Barnes, 19

On March 18, at 7:50 am, police were called to 1600 South 59th for a body lying in the driveway. Upon arrival, police found a black male in rear driveway with multiple gunshot wounds to the head, back and legs. The victim was identified as 19-year-old Marcus Barnes of 6000 West Girard Avenue. Barnes was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:20 am.

George Mugonigle, 50

On March 16, at 3:32 am, at 600 North 65th Street, police found George Mugonigle suffering from a gunshot wound to the back. Mugonigle, a 50 year-old white male, was pronounced dead at 4:28 am.

Edward Sumerville, 72

On Monday, March 17, at around 6:12 am, police responded to 7500 block of Mayland Street. Upon arrival, police were met by Nicole Tucker, a 35-year-old black female who alerted officers to the 7900 block of Pickering Street where Edward Somerville, 72, black male, was found in his residence seated in a reclining chair with several lacerations to his head and face. Edward was pronounced dead at 6:50 AM.

On Monday March 17, 2008, Nicole Tucker was arrested and charged with murder and related offenses.

Edward Baez, 35

On March 16, at 5:04 am, police responded to a shooting at 3100 Potter Street.  Upon arrival, police found Edward Baez, a 35-year-old white male, with multiple gunshot wounds to the face.  Baez was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:17 am. 

Police have no motive or suspect.

The city’s body count for 2008: 57 

John Doe

On March 13 at 10:25 pm police responded to a radio call about a shooting at 800 Lindley Avenue.  Upon arrival police found a black male lying in the back alley with a gunshot wound to the chest.  The victim, currently listed as John Doe, was pronounced dead at Albert Einstein Hospital at 11:01 pm.

Police have no motive or suspect.

The city’s body count for 2008: 56

Update: Police have identified the victim as Lorenzo Thomas

Travis Ellerbe, 26

On March 13, on 12:33 pm, after receiving a radio call, police found a black male lying on the street of 1500 North Myrtlewood with gunshot wounds to the neck, back and leg. The victim was identified as Travis Ellerbe, a 26-year-old black male from the 1400 block of Dover Street. Ellerbe was transported to Hahnemann University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:49 pm.

Police have no suspect or motive.

James Perkins, 29

On March 12, at 10 am, on 100 North Conestoga, police found James Perkins, a 29-year-old black male, suffering from gunshot wounds to the neck, back and leg. Perkins, from 5300 Haverford Avenue, was transported to the Hospital of the University Of Pennsylvania where he was pronounced dead at 10:42 am.

Police have a brief description of the shooter: a black male, 5'9, with a thin build. The motive is undetermined.

The city's body count for 2008: 54

Rally Against Madness

Around 11 am, in the chilling wind, a group of students from Jubilee Elementary school stand in the courtyard of City Hall, holding signs of plea and protest: “Save The Children.” “Do You Care About Our Community?” “We Want To Feel Safe.”

The students have lost three of their own to violence. And they’re joined by politicians, anti-violence activists and grieving families to demand the city's right to enact its own gun laws.

A middle-aged woman stands off to the side talking to a small audience of women about how her son was shot three times. “The only way they’re gonna stop crime is if people pray,” she warns.

At the start of the rally, a reverend offers a prayer. Then a rabbi. Then a member of the Muslim community.

Earlier in the day, City Councilman Darrell Clarke and City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller rallied in Harrisburg at the state legislature. Last year the two filed a lawsuit, calling the city’s gun violence a “state-created danger.” Clarke and Miller are pushing for such reforms as a one-handgun-every-30-days, and lost-and-stolen gun reporting requirements.

“This is the most important issue in Philadelphia,” says Clarke, standing on a makeshift stage. “And today we take the first step in what we believe will be our right to determine our destiny.”

Clarke points out a mother holding a sign with a picture of an assault rifle that reads: “Who sold the gun that killed my son?" He also points out that in Philadelphia a person can buy 1,000 guns a day.

“I don’t know what kind of state allows us to do this,’ he says. “It’s ridiculous.”

The majority of the city’s homicides were committed with illegal guns.

Clarke vows to take the constitutional battle all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. “We’re going to protect our citizens and our children,” he says.

City Council plans to introduce other gun legislation, which Mayor Michael Nutter promises he'll sign, telling the crowd, “We’re not messing around.”

Nutter tells how state law requires the reporting of a stolen car, a license to drive, and insurance on motor vehicles.

“None of which is required in terms of a handgun,” he says. “This is insanity. This is madness.”

(Photo credit: Jeff Fusco)

Carlos Torres, 55

On March 7 police responded to a call of a male assaulted on the 2900 block of North 4th Street. When they arrived, they found the victim, 55-year-old Carlos Torres, a Hispanic male, lying on the ground. Torres was unconscious and bleeding from the ear. He was transported to Temple University Hospital in critical condition. He was pronounced dead on March 8 at 4:46 pm. The medical examiner has determined that his death was a homicide. Police have no motive or suspect.

The city's body count for 2008: 53

Josephine Faust, 29

Update:
On February 20, 2008 at 4:30 pm, police responded to a radio call of a “house disturbance” at 3800 Cambridge Street. Upon arrival, Faust's sister told police there were blood spatters on the second floor of her home and that her sister’s bedroom door would not open. When police entered the bedroom, they found Faust, 29, black female, dead from multiple stab wounds.

The police have issued a murder arrest warrant for Faust's boyfriend, Eric Payne, a 30-year-old black male. Police consider Payne armed and dangerous, and mentally unstable.

2200 Bolton Street

At 1:28 am, police responded to a report of a person with a gun at 2200 Bolton Street. Upon arrival they found a 21 year-old black male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The male was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:37 am.

Police have not released the male's name pending notification of his family.

Police have no motive or suspect.

The city's body count for 2008: 52

Update:
Police have identified the victim as Khalil Wright.

Nicholas Cruz, 38

On March 2, at 7:55 am, on the 200 block of W. Westmoreland, police found Nicholas Cruz, 38, Hispanic male, lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. Cruz was transported to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:30 pm.

Police have no motive or arrest.

The city’s body count for 2008: 51

David Atkins, 43

On March 1, at 2:11 am, police found David Atkins, a 43-year-old black man, lying in his doorway on the 1600 block of Staub Street. Atkins suffered from multiple gunshots wounds to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:30 am.

Police have no motive or arrest.

Anthony Grasso, 26

On Feb. 29, at 6:29 pm, police responded to a radio call of a shooting at 600 Fitzgerald Street. Upon arrival, they found a man on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and torso. He was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:51 pm. He was identified as 26-year-old Anthony Grasso, a white man from the 2100 block of South 4th Street.

Police have no motive or arrest.