How Two Photojournalists Are Taking on the City's Gun Crisis

A new-media project, GunCrisis.org, uses old-school journalism tactics to study Philly's homicides.

By Tara Murtha
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 8 | Posted Apr. 25, 2012

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The videographer glances down at his cell phone. He has to get going soon; the network wants him to leave to go film some fog for the morning news report. “It’s all about the weather,” he shrugs.

Meanwhile, MacMillan thumbs at his phone, taking notes and tweeting updates to followers. Kaz fiddles with his camera’s settings, trying on different lenses, looking for creative ways to compensate for the lack of light. It’s hard to see clearly out here.

Jim MacMillan will be presenting GunCrisis this Saturday at Temple University as part of BarCamp NewsInnovation. For more information, visit bcniphilly.com.

Click here for a photo gallery of crime scenes from across the city.

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COMMENTS

Comments 1 - 8 of 8
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1. teaguem2005 said... on Apr 25, 2012 at 12:29PM

“Wow. Once again Tara, you really hit the mark with this timely story. The suspect in my nephew's murder is now on the Most Wanted list but since I see no one has claimed any of the 20K offered in any of the City's murders I guess we shouldn't get our hopes up too high. It just sickens and saddens me that people still don't realize the value of a human life.”

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2. Amanda said... on Apr 25, 2012 at 09:39PM

“Outstanding story and very powerful. It's terrific to see two dedicated people trying something different.

One comment -- the reporter's contention that Philadelphia's gun violence problems would change substantially if Harrisburg allowed tighter gun control seems pretty implausible to me. Just over the bridge is Camden -- and just down the road is Wilmington. Why on earth would we assume that guns would not stay cheap and plentiful in NJ and DE even if PA passed a radical law?”

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3. Anonymous said... on Apr 26, 2012 at 09:11AM

“If all of the guns used in last year's homicides were illegally owned, what sort of gun control law could possibly work?”

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4. nick said... on Apr 26, 2012 at 03:10PM

“”

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5. nick said... on Apr 26, 2012 at 03:12PM

“Murtha notes that 85 percent of the city's homicides last year were the
result of a gun, ALL OF WHICH WERE ILLEGALLY OWNED. (Emphasis added.) The
author then decries the fact that Philly cannot pass additional gun laws
of its own because of Pennsylvania's preemption laws. How, pray tell, can
more laws prevent behaviors that are ALREADY ILLEGAL. Oh, and let's not
forget Washington, DC. DC has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the
country. Yet, it is still the murder capital of the USA.
”

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6. nick said... on Apr 26, 2012 at 03:14PM

“Murtha notes that 85 percent of the city's homicides last year were the
result of a gun, ALL OF WHICH WERE ILLEGALLY OWNED. (Emphasis added.) The
author then decries the fact that Philly cannot pass additional gun laws
of its own because of Pennsylvania's preemption laws. How, pray tell, can
more laws prevent behaviors that are ALREADY ILLEGAL. Oh, and let's not
forget Washington, DC. DC has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the
country. Yet, it is still the murder capital of the USA.
”

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7. Joel Benjamin said... on Apr 28, 2012 at 07:29AM

“There should be federal gun laws. The influence of the NRA should be resisted by dedicated politicians with integrity.”

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8. Anonymous said... on Apr 30, 2012 at 12:26AM

““There should be federal gun laws. The influence of the NRA should be resisted by dedicated politicians with integrity.”

????? Are you an ignoramus that actually thinks there are no federal gun laws?”

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