As summer quickly approaches, grassroots organizations, police and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office are focused on keeping violence down across the city. Officials say investing in prevention programs and modern enforcement strategies is key to improving public safety as temperatures rise. Investigators say a gunman shot and killed a woman Sunday night on 15th Street in North Philadelphia. The shooting was one of several reported over the weekend. “I couldn’t believe it. I dropped to my knees and I cried. Cause I knew her. I was just talking to her,” a woman who knew the victim said. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner told NBC10 violent crime is often seasonal, and his office remains on call around the clock during warmer stretches like this week. While the city continues investing in prevention efforts, Krasner pointed to increased spending on enforcement initiatives, including the formation of the gun violence task force. “We’ve taken that unit and turned it into a unit that is extremely effective in taking down entire shooting groups permanently, completely,” Krasner said. According to the criminal gunshot database, 54 teens were shot during the summer months in Philadelphia in 2023. That number dropped to 45 in 2024 and 33 last summer. Pastor Carl Day runs Beat the Block, one of several organizations receiving funding aimed at reducing gun violence and keeping young adults safe. “It’s an entrepreneur incubator space, so we help them cultivate the businesses. We help them get connected with employment as well,” Day said. Day said the program works with 40 young men between the ages of 18 and 26 during 16-week sessions focused on financial literacy, job training and mentorship. “When these historic amounts of investments began to happen and the people who are the real hometown heroes, neighborhood heroes, those who could really reach the people the most, clearly the impact has shown,” Day said. City leaders and community organizations say they hope those investments continue helping cool down gun violence as summer temperatures climb. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less