Philadelphia records most homicides in over a decade

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia has seen more homicides this year than in any other in over a decade, as a particularly violent summer morphed into a deadly fall.

The mayor has declared gun violence a public health emergency.

Police data show that there have been 333 homicides in the city as of Sunday. That's an 11 percent increase over the same period last year and the most since 2007.

New York and Los Angeles, with populations much larger than Philadelphia's 1.5 million, have had fewer homicides this year. As of Dec. 9, New York City had seen 273; as of Dec. 8, Los Angeles had 243.

In September, Mayor Jim Kenney ordered his staff to come up with strategies to tackle the crisis like a public health emergency, and their action plan should be ready next month.