KILLADELPHIA: One More Dead Since U Went To Bed

skeleton_running.gifASSOCIATED PRESS: PHILADELPHIA — Police say the shooting death of a 15-year-old boy in Southwest Philadelphia appears to be an accident. Police say the victim and another teen were sitting in a car and playing with a gun when it discharged Monday night. The victim was shot in the head. Police say a suspect has been arrested. MORE

INQUIRER:  Police Department statistics show that although homicides and violent crime are down in Philadelphia Wiggum_1.jpgthis year, the decline has not kept pace with Nutter and Ramsey’s targets. Homicides are down about 15 percent, not the hoped-for 25 percent, and violent crime, which Nutter had aimed to reduce by 20 percent, is down only about 4 percent. “I didn’t think we’d have any miracles,” Ramsey said in an interview. Ramsey, a former Washington chief of police, said the Nutter administration set “stretch goals” aimed at pushing the department because the city’s homicide rate last year was among the highest in the nation. As of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, the city had recorded 295 homicides for the year (there was another killing Sunday night). That is 53 fewer than at the same time last year. “I think being down 53 for the year this late in the year is significant,” Ramsey said. “That’s a huge drop.” MORE

RELATED: ST. JOHNS, AZ —  An 8-year-old boy appeared in court Monday afternoon in St. Johns, Arizona, on charges that he murdered his father and another man. Tim Romans, 39, also was found dead Wednesday afternoon in Romero’s home, where he rented a room, KPHO said. Police said Thursday that the boy had confessed to shooting the two men with a .22-caliber weapon. No motive was given. “We solved the crime,” St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick told KPHO. “Now we have to solve the mystery of why.” MORE

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