Philly Detectives Are Solving More Shootings. Here’s Why.

Philadelphia detectives have significantly increased their clearance rates for homicides and nonfatal shootings over the past decade, with homicide clearance rates rising from 45% in 2016 to 82% in 2023. The quick arrest of two 16-year-old suspects in the June 2024 fatal shooting of William 'Billy' Schmidt exemplifies this trend, attributed to reduced homicide rates and advancements in crime-solving technology.