Fourth of July weekend: US sees ‘summer crime surge’

NEW YORK (NewsNation) — The Fourth of July weekend has become one of the deadliest holiday weekends in the year, triggering what many call the “summer surge” when violence suddenly spikes between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Police departments across the nation try to draw up strategies to prevent the violent summer outbreak, but the holiday weekend proved those plans aren’t always effective against random acts of violence.

The New York Police Department was among many across the country picking up shell casings off the streets.

“These are real guns, in the hands of real bad people, that are harming real children,” NYPD acting Police Commissioner Edward Caban said.

In New York City, the youngest shooting victim over the holiday weekend was just 5 years old. Caban sent the little girl a message while she recovers in the hospital.

“Samiyah, princess, 48 hours later, we have two individuals identified in the shooting,” Caban said during a press conference.

The NYPD identified Austin Morrishow and Curtis White as the suspects who displayed firearms and discharged numerous rounds, striking the 5-year-old victim.

Elsewhere across the nation, outdoor festivities turned into deadly fiascos.

In Philadelphia, five people were shot and killed and two children wounded after police said a gunman wearing body armor started shooting at random people on the street with an AR-15. The suspect was detained and is expected to be in court today.

“We do ask for your patience and cooperation as I mentioned before as meticulously piece together the events leading up to this heinous act,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Daniel Outlaw said.

In Baltimore, two men targeted a block party, shooting and killing two people and injuring 28.

“And I want those responsible to hear me and hear me very clearly. We will not stop until we find you and we will find you,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

In Fort Worth, Texas, three people were fatally shot and eight were wounded at an outdoor festival.

President Joe Biden addressed the shootings in a Fourth of July statement from the White House, saying, “We pray for the day when our communities will be free from gun violence.”

Nine people were shot and wounded, including two juveniles, early Wednesday in Washington, D.C., police said.

The plans moving forward for police departments in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City are almost identical as the summer plays out: Target and overwhelm high-crime areas with more officers, take more guns off the street and work with state and federal law enforcement to help a form robust crime-fighting operation, hopefully reducing the swell of violent crimes leaving people dead and families devastated.

The NYPD said so far this year, it has arrested 2,200 people for carrying illegal guns.

The police department also shared that the number of shooting incidents and shooting victims is down compared to last year but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to end gun violence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.