A Temple University senior was shot dead outside his off-campus Philadelphia apartment on Sunday as he returned home from spending Thanksgiving with his family. 

Samuel Collington, a 21-year old political science student months away from graduation, was shot dead around 1.32 pm in an attempted robbery outside 2252 North Park Avenue, in North Philadelphia, as he unloaded his car after returning to his apartment from Thanksgiving at his parents’ house in Delaware County.

His apartment is located in an area nicknamed The Philadelphia Badlands – a section  of North and Northeast Philadelphia that is notorious for open-air recreational drug markets and drug-related violence. It also has some of the highest poverty rates in the city and a high crime rate.

No arrests have yet been made. 

Collington’s murder was the sixth shooting death in the span of a week in the city plagued with gun violence. His death brings this year’s homicide rate in Philadelphia to a record breaking 506. The grim milestone broke the 1990 record of 500 murders in the span of a year.

The soaring homicide rate has led to tensions between the cops and local District Attorney Larry Krasner as officers accuse him of allowing crime to sky rocket by failing to prosecute gun crime. 

‘Each and every homicide carries with it a profound sense of loss,’ said Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw in a Sunday press release. 

‘However, for our City to have reached such a tragic milestone – 500 lives cut short – it carries a weight that is almost impossible to truly comprehend.’

Neighbors said Collington (pictured) briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors said Collington (pictured) briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors said Collington (pictured) briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors said Collington (pictured) briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors said Collington (pictured) briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors told the outlet that Collington briefly struggled with the attacker at 2252 North Park Avenue (pictured) before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors told the outlet that Collington briefly struggled with the attacker at 2252 North Park Avenue (pictured) before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Neighbors told the outlet that Collington briefly struggled with the attacker at 2252 North Park Avenue (pictured) before gunshots rang out. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries

Collington's murder was the sixth shooting death in the span of a week in the city plagued with gun violence, and brought the number of killings this year to the all-time high of 506. The grim milestone broke the 1990 record of 500 murders in the span of a year

Collington's murder was the sixth shooting death in the span of a week in the city plagued with gun violence, and brought the number of killings this year to the all-time high of 506. The grim milestone broke the 1990 record of 500 murders in the span of a year

Collington’s murder was the sixth shooting death in the span of a week in the city plagued with gun violence, and brought the number of killings this year to the all-time high of 506. The grim milestone broke the 1990 record of 500 murders in the span of a year

Police Commissioner Outlaw said in September that she and District Attorney Larry Krasner 'just don’t agree' on whether prioritizing illegal gun and drug possession prosecutions would reduce violent crime in the city

Police Commissioner Outlaw said in September that she and District Attorney Larry Krasner 'just don’t agree' on whether prioritizing illegal gun and drug possession prosecutions would reduce violent crime in the city

Police Commissioner Outlaw said in September that she and District Attorney Larry Krasner ‘just don’t agree’ on whether prioritizing illegal gun and drug possession prosecutions would reduce violent crime in the city

‘We mourn the loss of a bright and thriving political science student, and share in the wrenching grief of his family and friends,’ wrote Temple University’s Executive Director, Charlie Leone, in a statement to students. 

‘Samuel was set to graduate this spring from the College of Liberal Arts, and already was succeeding in his field, interning as a Democracy Fellow with the city. This is a true tragedy in every sense of the word.’

The Philadelphia Police Department is still investigating the slaying, and could not be reached by DailyMail.com for comment. 

Neighbors told the outlet that Collington briefly struggled with the attacker before gunshots rang out. 

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Collington, a 21-year old political science student months away from graduation, w

Collington, a 21-year old political science student months away from graduation, w

Collington, a 21-year old political science student months away from graduation, w

Collington, a 21-year old political science student months away from graduation, w

Collington, (left, and mother Molly is right). The 21-year old was a political science student who was months away from graduation before he was killed

He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. 

This year, police in Philadelphia have made a record number of arrests for illegal gun possession, but the suspects’ chances of getting convicted have dropped from 63 per cent in 2017 down to 49 per cent in 2021, according to an analysis by the Philadelphia Inquirer published in March.

Police Commissioner Outlaw was previously quoted as saying that Philadelphia’s criminal justice system has become a ‘revolving door’ for repeat gun offenders since Krasner was sworn into office in January 2018. 

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was previously quoted as saying that Philadelphia’s criminal justice system has become a 'revolving door' for repeat gun offenders since District Attorney Larry Krasner (pictured) was sworn into office in January 2018

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was previously quoted as saying that Philadelphia’s criminal justice system has become a 'revolving door' for repeat gun offenders since District Attorney Larry Krasner (pictured) was sworn into office in January 2018

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was previously quoted as saying that Philadelphia’s criminal justice system has become a ‘revolving door’ for repeat gun offenders since District Attorney Larry Krasner (pictured) was sworn into office in January 2018

Stakeholders in the Philadelphia community took to Twitter after Collington's death, calling attention to rampant gun violence in the city

Stakeholders in the Philadelphia community took to Twitter after Collington's death, calling attention to rampant gun violence in the city

Stakeholders in the Philadelphia community took to Twitter after Collington’s death, calling attention to rampant gun violence in the city

'This needs to stop,' wrote Twitter user @YoDanno, who said Collington was their cousin

'This needs to stop,' wrote Twitter user @YoDanno, who said Collington was their cousin

‘This needs to stop,’ wrote Twitter user @YoDanno, who said Collington was their cousin

Outlaw said in September that she and Krasner ‘just don’t agree’ on whether prioritizing illegal gun and drug possession prosecutions would reduce violent crime in the city. 

‘Fundamentally, there are very key disconnects there, as far as which crimes we prioritize, and who believes what are the main drivers of the violent crime that we’re seeing,’ Outlaw said. 

‘The city is nearing 500 homicides. Children are getting shot, unborn children getting shot, what is the city doing about this?’ Deputy Commissioner Christine Coulter told ABC6 last week, after a pregnant woman was shot dead unloading gifts from her car after a baby shower

‘We talk about it, we do talk about the violence,’ Temple student Christopher Rudolph told CBS 3.

Amid the unprecedented rate of violence in the City of Brotherly Love, Temple University has begun taking measures to protect its students. 

‘Gun violence continues to affect local communities, and especially young lives, across our city and our nation. We fully understand concerns about individual safety, especially at a time when Philadelphia, like so many other U.S. cities, has experienced a sharp increase in violent crime over the past year,’ wrote Leone in his statement.

Temple University has increased the number of police and bike security patrols on their campus on November 17, after an 18-year-old was shot dead on the campus

Temple University has increased the number of police and bike security patrols on their campus on November 17, after an 18-year-old was shot dead on the campus

Temple University has increased the number of police and bike security patrols on their campus on November 17, after an 18-year-old was shot dead on the campus

Collington's Uncle, Chick, paid tribute to his lost nephew on Facebook after his death

Collington's Uncle, Chick, paid tribute to his lost nephew on Facebook after his death

Collington’s Uncle, Chick, paid tribute to his lost nephew on Facebook after his death

‘Senior university officials spoke with Mayor Kenney’s office today and we are intensifying our work with the city, community groups and the Philadelphia Police Department to further enhance safety in and around the Temple community. We will continue to communicate regarding these efforts and define our steps toward a solution to this terrible trend.’  

Temple increased the number of police and bike security patrols on their campus on November 17, after an 18-year-old was shot dead on the campus. 

The institution has also begun working with the Philadelphia Police Department to monitor social media accounts to scope out planned illegal activity before it takes place, added more security cameras to their campus and launched a walking escort program for students and faculty this year. 

Stakeholders in the Philadelphia community took to Twitter after Collington’s death, calling attention to rampant gun violence in the city.

‘#Delco lost Samuel Sean Collington of Prospect Park today – another casualty of violence in Philadelphia,’ wrote Republican Congressional candidate Dave Galluch. 

‘Our heart goes out to his family and all of @TempleUniv. We will not stop fighting for #accountability for those who commit violence and lawlessness.’ 

‘This needs to stop,’ wrote Twitter user @YoDanno, who said Collington was their cousin. 

Collington’s Uncle, Chick, paid tribute to his lost nephew on Facebook after his death: 

‘This random act of violence has devastated our family, please keep my brother Dennis and his wife Molly in your thoughts and prayers.’ 

He boasts of sending fewer people to jail, represented BLM and Occupy Philadelphia protesters and was funded by George Soros: Philadelphia’s woke DA Larry Krasner is presiding over a record crime spike

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner is pictured arriving at a polling site on Election Day, November 2, 2021

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner is pictured arriving at a polling site on Election Day, November 2, 2021

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner is pictured arriving at a polling site on Election Day, November 2, 2021 

Larry Krasner, a 60-year-old longtime civil rights and defense attorney who sued the Philadelphia Police Department 75 times, won election in 2017 against a crowded field by billing himself as the outsider candidate capable of making radical change.

Krasner’s campaign benefitted from the largesse of controversial Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros, who poured an eye-popping $1,7million into the race to support the Democratic candidate’s criminal justice reform agenda. 

Under Krasner, the future years of incarceration have been cut by half, and the length of parole in probation supervision have been slashed by nearly two-thirds compared to the previous DA. 

Krasner, who previously defended Black Lives Matter and Occupy Philadelphia protesters as a lawyer, has clashed with the city’s top cops over his  reluctance to prosecute non-violent gun and drug possession crimes, despite a surge in gun violence and rising homicide rates in the City of Brotherly Love.

As of November 21, 2021, there have been 491 homicide victims, a 14 per cent increase from last year’s number of 436, and 283 in 2019. 

The Philadelphia Police Department and Krasner have been at loggerheads over a steep drop in convictions related to gun offenses. 

This year, police in Philadelphia have made a record number of arrests for illegal gun possession, but the suspects’ chances of getting convicted have dropped from 63 per cent in 2017 down to 49 per cent in  2021, according to an analysis by the Philadelphia Inquirer published in March. 

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was previously quoted as saying that Philadelphia’s criminal justice system has become a ‘revolving door’ for repeat gun offenders since Krasner was sworn into office in January 2018. 

Krasner has blamed the decrease on police submitting weaker evidence in cases, or on witnesses failing to show up in court to testify.  

The progressive Democrat DA has contended that his main focus is on convicting people who use guns to kill or hurt others, not those who are caught being in possession of the weapons. 

Krasner’s office has argued that there is little evidence that suspects accused of being in possession of guns are responsible for the uptick in gun violence. 

Compared to the previous DA term, Krasner’s has imposed 24,000 fewer years of incarceration and 102,000 fewer years of supervised probation or parole since 2018. 

In addition, under Krasner there have been 23 exonerations of offenders serving sentences for which he says a review found insufficient evidence. 

The progressive Democrat DA has contended that his main focus is on convicting people who use guns to kill or hurt others, not those who are caught being in possession of the weapons. 

Krasner argued that the city should be most concerned with structural problems, such as underfunded schools and high poverty rates.

‘Yes, enforcement is a small part of the story,’ he told the Inquirer earlier this year. ‘The big part of the story is not that. The big part of the story is this city’s chronic failure to invest in prevention that the community is crying out for. That is where we have to go.’ 

Krasner’s office has argued that there is little evidence that suspects accused of being in possession of guns are responsible for the uptick in gun violence, considering that the recent surge in gun-related arrests has not resulted in a significant decrease in shootings. 

Police Commissioner Outlaw said in September that she and Krasner ‘just don’t agree’ on whether prioritizing illegal gun and drug possession prosecutions would reduce violent crime in the city. 

‘Fundamentally, there are very key disconnects there, as far as which crimes we prioritize, and who believes what are the main drivers of the violent crime that we’re seeing,’ Outlaw said.   

In late March, the Democratic City Committee voted not to endorse Krasner for May’s primary election, but he easily trounced primary challenger Carlos Vega and then won reelection on November 2.    

 

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Source: Daily Mail

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