One of the alleged gunmen is 14 years old. The others are 18 and 19. Killers are more likely to be younger, more likely to use guns, and more likely to kill people they don't know than they were 15 years ago. At the same time, the number of young victims has increased. Teenagers have always been impulsive.
Guns are the most common murder weapon, and their use is growing.
Philadelphia and some other large cities are seeing an increase in firearm use even as gun homicides have leveled off in many parts of the nation. Law enforcement officials say they're not sure why. Some point out that it is relatively easy for Philadelphians, including those in the drug trade, to get guns. Among the guns for sale in Philadelphia are sophisticated semiautomatic weapons, which account for a growing number of homicides. Back when killers used revolvers, which usually hold five or six cartridges, often the only bullet at a murder scene was the one in the victim's body.