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The City of Philadelphia has now recorded its 500th murder of 2021, tying the grim record of homicides in a year set 30 years ago in 1990 - with more than a full month left in the year.
Former mayor and congressman Lou Barletta, the leading Republican candidate for governor of Pennsylvania, today issued the following statement:
“Once known for cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, and Ben Franklin, the City of Philadelphia has become notorious for being the murder capital of the United States, if not the world. Entire neighborhoods are not safe, as violent criminals terrorize citizens and fight their deadly battles openly.
“The responsibility for this lawlessness falls on the leaders who were elected to protect our communities, most notably the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth, Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Although he bragged about how he was going to apply the law to criminals, he has done nothing but watch as violent predators roam the streets while police officers are undermined by ‘woke’ politics and law enforcement morale suffers.
“When I’m governor, we will crack down on violent criminals, support our police departments, and make sure that law-abiding citizens can feel safe in their own neighborhoods. It’s one of the most basic functions of government – to keep the peace – and I will be a leader where others have failed.”
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