Three separate shootings occurred in Allentown on Friday, with eight total victims.
A statement followed from State Representative Joshua Siegel of Lehigh County where he expressed his condolences to those affected. He expressed his belief that many residents are “sickened, angry, and heartbroken” over the violence that seems to be ongoing in the city.
Data from law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S. seem to prove the Representative’s point. Allentown crime data lists the city as safer than only 12% of U.S. neighborhoods.
The violent crime rate in Allentown affects 3.92 per every 1,000 residents. In 2023, more than 29,000 violent crimes took place in Lehigh County, according to the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting System.
The shootings over New Year’s weekend saw the deaths of a 44-year-old woman and a one-year-old boy in a house in Allentown. Another man was injured in that shooting, and five other victims were injured in two separate shootings on the same night. These other victims are expected to survive their injuries.
But Representative Siegel made it very clear; he and so many other residents are “tired of watching their neighborhoods and streets be stained with the blood of gun violence.”
Siegel expressed his trust in the Allentown Police Department as they continue to investigate the shootings. One suspect has already been found and taken into custody.
He also highlighted the city’s resilience, and his belief that the community will work together to ensure every neighborhood is eventually safe for all residents.
