Philly’s 2021 homicide count reaches 5

Five people have been killed since New Year’s Day, marking a violent start to 2021 following a year in which Philadelphia recorded nearly 500 homicides.

According to Philadelphia Police Department data, 499 people were murdered in 2020, the city’s highest body count since at least 1988 (which is as far back an Inquirer crime database goes). There were 143 fewer homicides in 2019.

This year’s first victim was 37-year-old Rudolph Ebinger, who was shot in the thigh at around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1 on the 100 block of Ritner Street in South Philadelphia, not far from where he lived.

Detectives have made an arrest in the case, but authorities have not released the suspect’s name or other information.

Also on New Year’s Day, a 26-year-old man was gunned down on the 2500 block of S. 66th Street in Elmwood section of Southwest Philadelphia and a man, described only as between 30 and 40 years old, died after walking into Temple University Hospital with gunshot wounds to his chest and shoulder.

Investigators believe he was the victim of a shooting on the 3600 block of Germantown Avenue in North Philadelphia.

Police said a 54-year-old man died Friday night of injuries he sustained Dec. 23 during a shooting on the 1700 block of N. 27th Street in North Philadelphia. He had initially been listed in stable condition.

On Monday, just after 1 a.m., officers were called to the 500 block of E. Indiana Avenue in Kensington, where they found a 47-year-old man in the street with a gunshot wound to the left side of his head.

He was rushed to Temple University Hospital and died at 1:20 a.m., according to police.

Aside from the South Philadelphia shooting, authorities have not reported arrests in connection with the killings.

A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized in “critical but stable condition,” police said, after being shot once in the back of the head just after 7 p.m. Sunday on the 7400 block of Torresdale Avenue in Holmesburg.

In Kensington, a 26-year-old man told investigators he was taking out the trash when he heard gunshots and ran back inside. He realized that he had been shot twice in the right leg.

The shooting occurred on the 3100 block of Jasper Street, and detectives found three 45-caliber shell casings in the area.

Police said the victim was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was in stable condition.

Just after 2 p.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old man was shot twice on the 2800 of Michael Road in the Far Northeast, authorities said. He was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in critical condition.

On Monday, at around 9:45 a.m., a 39-year-old man was rushed to Temple University Hospital by officers after being stabbed on the 2000 block of Bellmore Street in Kensington, police said. His injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.