April , 2023

The Honorable Jim Kenney Room 215, City Hall Philadelphia PA 19107

RE: Gun Violence in Philadelphia

Dear Mayor Kenney:

My name is John Smith and I am a concerned citizen who resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am writing to bring your attention to the ongoing issue of gun violence in our city. This issue has affected countless families and communities in Philadelphia and I urge you to take action to address it.

Firstly, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 530 gun-related deaths in Philadelphia in 2022, a 23% increase from the previous year. This alarming statistic should be a wake-up call for our city government to take immediate action. Additionally, many of these victims are young people who have their whole lives ahead of them. This is a tragedy that we cannot allow to continue. Secondly, gun violence has a negative impact on our communities. It creates fear and a sense of unease, which can affect the mental health and well-being of residents. It also makes our neighborhoods less safe and can lead to a decrease in property values. This issue affects us all and we need our government to step in to create a safer city. Lastly, this issue hits close to home for me. I have lost family members and friends to gun violence and I know firsthand the pain and trauma it causes. It is not something that anyone should have to go through, and I do not want anyone else to experience it.

One solution that could help with this issue is the implementation of stricter gun laws. This could include background checks, mandatory gun registration, and a ban on assault weapons. We need to make it more difficult for dangerous individuals to obtain firearms and take steps to prevent them from causing harm to innocent people. Mayor Kenney, I urge you to take action on this issue and support the implementation of stricter gun laws in our city. We need your support to make our communities safer and prevent further loss of life. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and I look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

John Smith

References

Center for American Progress. (2021). Gun violence in Pennsylvania.

https://www.americanprogress.org/topic/gvp/

Gun Violence Archive. (2022). Pennsylvania.

https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/query/d687fc99-64a5-4bf6-bbee-21f7d4f009b9/edit Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2021). Gun Violence in Pennsylvania.

https://www.pccd.pa.gov/criminaljustice/GunViolence/Pages/default.aspx