Philadelphia police arrested two men in connection with two separate local shootings last week.

The first incident occurred on July 30 at about midnight at SEPTA’s Frankford Terminal, 1500 Bridge St. According to police, an argument between two groups of teens, apparently over a girl, sparked the gunfire.

The arguing led to a physical fight, during which a 17-year-old male allegedly pulled out a .32-caliber revolver and shot another 17-year-old male once in the shoulder. Police took the victim to Frankford Hospital’s Torresdale Campus in stable condition. He was treated in the emergency room and immediately released, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Witnesses told police that the shooter and his group had boarded a bus in an attempt to flee. Officers tracked down the bus on the 5200 block of Castor Ave. and took the passengers off. A short time later, police found a bag on the ground near the scene. It contained a loaded revolver with one spent shell in the chamber.

After a witness pointed out the alleged shooter, he was identified, arrested and charged with aggravated assault and related offenses. His name is not being published because he is a minor.

The second shooting occurred on Aug. 1 at about 12:11 a.m. on the 2000 block of Nester St. in Bustleton, police said.

Police arrived and found a wounded male lying in the grass outside of an apartment building. Korti Stiti, 27, of the 1800 block of Nester St., had been wounded three times in the torso.

Fire department medics took him to Frankford Hospital’s Torresdale Campus in critical condition. Following emergency surgery, he remained hospitalized until Aug. 5.

Witnesses informed investigators that four men came to the apartment complex and engaged in an argument with another man over an automobile. When Stiti got involved in the dispute, one of the men allegedly shot him several times, then fled on foot.

Police identified the suspect and spotted him a short time later walking near Castor Avenue and Arthur Street. He was identified as Srecko Pesikan, 20, of the 2000 block of Arthur St. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and related offenses.

President Bush:
"The recent arrests that our fellow citizens are now learning about are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation."

Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Connecticut):
"This should serve as the latest, most serious evidence that we are in a war against a brutal enemy that intends to attack us over and over again in the most indiscriminate way. The Department of Homeland Security is doing what it was created to do in the face of a terrorist threat: protecting the United States through the implementation of security measures, international cooperation, and coordination with the law enforcement and intelligence communities."

British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up several aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in carry-on luggage. Police arrested 21 people, saying they were confident they captured the main suspects in what U.S. officials said was a plot in its final phases that had all the earmarks of an al-Qaida operation.

Two U.S. counterterrorism officials said the terrorists had targeted United, American and Continental airlines. A U.S. intelligence official said the plotters had hoped to target flights to major airports in New York, Washington and California.

The disrupted plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes from London is having repercussions at airports all over the United States, including Philadelphia.

"We flew in October of 2001, a month after 9/11 and we didn't experience anything like this," said Tawana Sabbath of Philadelphia, waiting with her husband, Walter.

The number of murders in the city is up this year while the number of murderers being caught by police has dropped, Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson said.

The number of homicide victims reached 239 Tuesday... At the same time, the percentage of murder cases solved so far this year is 58 percent, down from a high of 82 percent in 1991.

Johnson said Philadelphia, like other big cities, is struggling with problems of drugs, violence and a lackluster economy. He also blames cultural change, saying increasing numbers of people have been unwilling to come forward and testify for fear of being labeled a snitch.

Leonard N. Ross' corruption had already cost him his wife, his law license, his assets, his reputation, and his friendship with Mayor Street. Yesterday, it cost him his freedom.

A federal judge ordered Ross to prison for 2½ years for corrupting the city's 2003 effort to redevelop the Penn's Landing waterfront.

Ross is the 22d person convicted in the City Hall corruption investigation. He used his post as chair of the Penn's Landing makeover effort to extort developers and provide inside information to a lobbyist who helped get him a sweetheart loan.

I am a little confused. Mayor Street bemoans youth violence in Philadelphia while his administration attacks the Boy Scouts, an organization that is actively doing something about it.

I benefited as a youth from scouts. I have shared that benefit with the young people that I have led. Duty to a higher power (scouting is nondenominational), family, country, others and oneself is the primary principle that we seek to instill in the young men and women (Venturing and Exploring Programs are coeducational) who choose to seek a life that is quite a bit better than the culture of crime, drugs and violence.

Unfortunately, those who run this city have made the future use of the local council headquarters contingent upon a single issue: the BSA national policy on homosexuality. I'm not going to engage in that debate because most of us on the front lines, the volunteers, are more concerned with delivering a program that exemplifies all the good things scouting has to offer to as many young people as we can. We have little time or inclination to question a person's sexual orientation.

My brother and I (an Eagle Scout) learned the lessons that scouting and our parents (longtime scouters) taught us as we grew up at Front and Allegheny. It wasn't some city initiative that gave us the incentive to strive for a better life; it was the values, skills and principles of the Boy Scouts of America.

I am proud to be a member of an organization that has accomplished so much good. The Boy Scouts of America and the Cradle of Liberty Council deal with the needs of at-risk youth every day. Every young life that we can touch is an example of a life that isn't negatively impacting the headlines. What could be more worthwhile?

Robert E. Leopold III, Philadelphia

Thanks to all for your questions and kind words.

Chick Pea,

1. The problem of excessive litigation against good doctors is huge in my congressional district. It is an issue about which I am especially passionate. There are a variety of reforms that have promise to solve this problem, one of which is to cap contingency fees for lawyers who take these cases. Another is to place caps on non-economic damages.

2. One of my goals while I’m in office is to work on defense and foreign policy. I spent much of my time at Boston College studying the history of diplomacy.
Serving in Congress would be a suitable post to work on that issue.

3. The federal government has a hand in anti-crime policy, since many local law enforcement agencies get homeland security funding. I want to make sure that such funding, as well as programs like C.O.P.S. which funds the hiring of many police officers is kept sufficient.

4. I’m very proud of what Bobby Jindal has done as a Congressman from Louisiana and my campaign has valued his council greatly.

5. I am a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. The man believed in and exemplified a robust but realistic foreign policy and a domestic policy of clean government. He gave the GOP a proud tradition of respect for the environment, a tradition that we must reclaim.

6. I shop for my bowties at some big- name stores like Brooks Brothers, but I also have gotten some from a specialty store in Middlebury, Vermont that I rather like.

Amardeep,

I believe that we must suppress the insurgency in Iraq. That said, if I were in Congress when the resolution for war in Iraq was voted on, I would not have voted for the war. But nations like ours and Israel’s must recognize the threat of terrorism when it approaches, and there is, I believe, work to be done in the Middle East before a U.S. withdrawal. But we need to be thinking out of the box on these things. I fear that the administration is caught in a spiral. I’ll be speaking about this quite a bit in my campaign. I think we all must remember that no matter what we think about the war we must support the troops. My campaign recently held a fundraiser for the troops which was quite successful.

Badmash,

Our alliance with Canada is arguably the strongest that we in the U.S. enjoy. Our relationship on trade should not be imperiled by squabbling from either side. Our policy should be to knock down trade barriers on both sides, so that trade is both free and fair.

P.G. Wodehouse,

I am utterly opposed to arrests made on the basis of race. If this is proven decisively to have happened in “Operation Meth Merchant”, it will not be met with approval by me.

Also, you inquire about I identify myself. Quite simply, I am Indian-American, I am Irish-American, and foremost, I am American. I believe none of this is mutually exclusive.

Yo Dad,

1. My biggest differences with President Bush center on the question of Iraq. He has demonstrated a degree of courage, which is admirable, but the situation in Iraq required greater realism than he was willing to give it when he made his push for war.

2. I believe that America retains much strength in the world. We will keep up that strength only by being more cautious before stepping into perilous conflicts like the current one in the Middle East.

Dasichist,

On the immigration issue, it is important for the United States to bring in more of the best and brightest from around the world by increasing H-1B visas, student visas, and the like. Immigration is the lifeblood of America, and we should have a policy that reflects that while still strenuously controlling our borders so that immigrants come here legally.

Desitude,

I have taken a strong stand against the stereotyping of Indians in America since the beginning of my campaign. I voiced particular displeasure at Senator Biden’s comments implying that we are exclusively convenience store owners.

Not about to be played,

I am very proud of the support AAHOA has given me. Their goals are ones that I certainly value, since I am a hotelier of Indian heritage. Their priorities are to oppose discrimination and to keep taxes, regulations, and other hindrances to Indian hoteliers in America from disallowing us to realize the American dream.

This speaks, I think, to the reason why Indian Americans can and should support each other politically. Our values of family, industriousness, and education are shared amongst the vast majority of our community.

Sriram,

You are quite right to raise the importance of environmentalism. This is an issue on which my party, the Republican Party, must get back to its roots. We need to work on developing alternative sources of energy so that we can wean ourselves off of our addiction to oil. I support efforts in Congress to jumpstart these promising new technologies like solar energy and biofuels.

You are also correct to view climate change as one of mankind’s greatest current environmental challenge. To address it, I believe Congress must enact tough standards on carbon dioxide emissions that will bring our country into line with other nations that have addressed this issue.

Dave,

I believe that rashly calling for the impeachment of judges is a wrongheaded approach to keeping our judiciary independent. I strongly oppose the Kelo decision which expanded the governments reach on imminent domain, but I believe legislators responded to the ruling constructively, but acting themselves to curb imminent domain. I must also emphasize that I, as a congressman, would not be involved in the confirmation of judges.

Gautham,

1. I support multilateral talks to restrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions. With regard to the nations you have mentioned and their ties to terrorism, the United States must bring multilateral diplomatic strength to bear and force their hand without resorting to military conflict at the moment. Because of Iraq and prudent consideration, another military conflict is not a viable option.

2. I stand by the U.S.-India nuclear deal 100 percent and believe that it holds much promise to improve relations between America and India. My opponent unfortunately voted against it.

3. I believe that we as Indian-Americans must stand together and bolster our shared values of family and equality. If the various Indian communities in America stand together, we can be a strong force for anti-discrimination. We can also become a powerful force to bring together the two great democracies of the world and have the American people overall recognize the tremendous contributions we’ve made to this country.

4. I believe that the relationship between Israel and the United States is rightly valued and should be continued.

Alfie,

I appreciate your perspective on this matter. I must submit that bringing excellent students from abroad into America is not merely a matter of removing any cap on visas, but also of providing the right incentives for students to come. We need to make sure that students here on visas as well as workers here on H-1Bs do not only come here to work or study for a bit, but to stay. The temporary nature of many visas is such that many who take them leave after working or studying for a short time in the U.S. This must change. America must maintain its ability to bring the best and brightest to our shores.

This morning on Sepia Mutiny we are going to try something new. One of the reasons we started SM was to see if we could get more members of the South Asian American community involved with politics and in shaping the national agenda/discourse. One of the many ways to try and accomplish this is for some of you to run for elected office. As you know, we often feature desis from both sides of the aisle who are seeking elected office at a variety of levels from very local to national. Today we are interviewing the Republican congressional candidate for Pennsylvania’s 13th District (near Philadelphia), Raj Peter Bhakta. Most of you are familiar with Bhakta as a former contestant on NBC’s The Apprentice. He is running against first term Democratic incumbent Allison Schwartz. Bhakta’s website lists the campaign issues most important to him and he also has a blog where he writes down thoughts about the race and his district.

So here is the twist. SM isn’t a newspaper nor do we want to be. I am not going to just ask questions and have Bhakta answer the few that I think are relevant. His campaign is asking for help from all quarters including the South Asian American community. He needs both money (his opponent has way more than him) and volunteers. So why don’t you all interview him. Questions from Philly area mutineers are especially welcome. He has kindly agreed to check this website several times today and answer some of your questions directly. Myself and the other bloggers will moderate. This means please be polite and respectful to our guest. Hopefully we get this kind of direct interaction with others in the future and it would be a shame to set a bad example here.

Last week I sat down with Candidate Bhakta (and when I say “sat down” I mean I emailed him some questions and he emailed me back) just to get us started. Think of this as our own version of Meet the Press.

Abhi: I believe you are just over thirty years old and are running for a Congressional seat. That is roughly the same age as a good portion of our readers. What made you decide that you wanted to run for U.S. Congress as opposed to starting out locally and gaining experience with a position in Pennsylvania’s state government first?

RPB: It’s always been my intent to run for political office. When I graduated from high school, I promised myself that I would run for office by the age of 30 - I also had a caveat to run earlier if I made a great fortune before 30. Well, 30 came first.

On a more serious note, I am running hard now because I am convinced that if we don’t have more responsible leadership in Washington - the promise of the American Dream, of which I am a product, will begin to fade. If it does fade, so will America. And I won’t let that happen without one hell of a fight.

As far as experience goes, it is an asset not coming from a long background of spending the people’s money. I am proud to have been making a living, and paying taxes instead of living off the back of the taxpayers.

Finally, as for age, if you ask me, I’m feel like a running a little behind schedule. Life is short and there is much to do.

Abhi: Many political candidates running for office like to put their wife/husband and their 2.5 children in front of the camera as often as they can in order to come across as “wholesome.” Do you think that being a bachelor (with a bit of a reputation as a ladies’ man) puts you at a disadvantage?

RPB: People are tired of phony politicians with their scripted phrases and staged family campaign shots. Many of these folks who make such a strenuous effort to make it look like they have a perfect family life are engaged in a giant farce - before themselves and before the voters.

People want their elected leaders to be sincere, and I have had no more deep and sincere that to provide every American, whether first generation or seventh generation, a fighting chance. That is America’s sacred mission in my view and I’m committed to it.

And if people think it is improper for me, a young single man, to have asked Anna Kournikova out for date - well, what can I say? It is precisely correct behavior in my view. As I said on the show, there are no points awarded for not trying. None.

Abhi: What is the single most important local issue (within your district) that concerns you? What is the single most important national issue?

RPB: My district faces the scourges of sprawl in the suburbs and crime in its urban areas. Local officials entrusted with our quality of life have not done their part to safeguard it. I hope to provide leadership in Congress on that front. An important national issue that is of great importance to my district is medical liability reform. We desperately need to keep excessive lawsuits from destroying the practices of many good doctors.

Abhi: In your opinion/experience do South Asian Americans contribute enough money to political campaigns? If not, then why not? Do you think they are just uninspired by candidates or are they uninterested in politics in general?

RPB: I think the process of Indians and other South Asians in America gaining interest in politics is certainly taking shape. We are a group of mostly new Americans who have largely done very well at achieving the American dream. If fact, it is a source of tremendous pride for me to be part of one of the most successful immigrant communities in the entire history of this country.

Think of what we have achieved in a basically a generation. It’s a staggering achievement. Though patriotism isn’t in vogue in many circles these days, it’s a tribute to our community and it’s a tribute to America.

It is only a matter of time before we be become a great political force.

We’re getting more and more engaged. And the yawning gap between our economic success and our political infancy will begin to close. I’m doing all I can to that end.

But I’d be lying if I told you I’m not at times disappointed with our community’s lack of enthusiasm for politics. But it’s changing and it will continue to.

Abhi: To the best of your knowledge are there any particular issues that South Asian American voters in your district care about more than the average voter? Are there any issues that you have a position on that you feel might inspire South Asian American voters from outside of your district to contribute to your campaign?

RPB: One important action the government needs to take, which I have championed, is to allow greater numbers of bright, skilled immigrants to come to our shores. South Asian Americans have brought so much excellence to this country, we should not be hindering more of them from doing so.

Abhi: What one point of concrete advice can you give our readers who might want to run for a Congressional seat of their own someday?

RPB: Go for it! And then stick with it. Put on your battle armor and hammer away. Persistence pays.

Abhi: The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll suggested that voters, by a nearly 3-1 margin, are thinking of voting for a Democratic candidate this November. You are running against a Democratic incumbent in a political system that is rigged in favor of the incumbent. What is it about the Republican Party (e.g. issues or ideals) that most compels you to identify as and run as a Republican rather than as an Independent or a Democrat.

RPB: The Republican Party is doing a flat-out awful job of sticking to it’s principals, but in it’s ideals I believe: I have faith in the American individual over government bureaucracies. I believe in small government, and clean government, I believe in teaching people how to fish in indeed of giving them hand-outs day by day. In this sense, I’m a Republican.

This having been said, too many of those attributes I’ve named have not been adhered to, and, in the realm of foreign policy, we’ve recently pursued a course far more radical than conservative. And the results have not been favorable.

Abhi: Can you give us just a couple of examples of the media sources you read to keep well informed about the issues relevant to your campaign (i.e. do you have a favorite magazine or newspaper or website)? I am sure most of what you need to know you learn from talking directly to the voters, but where do you turn to get smart on the rest, especially national issues?

RPB: I read the local papers. For national news of the day, I generally check out the Drudge Report.

Abhi: I noticed that a video on your website accentuates the high energy aspect of your campaign. Is this an important distinction you are making between yourself and your opponent?

RPB: This is certainly a high-energy campaign, but I wouldn’t say I’m making the distinction, so much as Allyson Schwartz is making it for me.

She’s old and phony, and largely absent from the district and I’m the exact opposite. And people are catching on.

Abhi: Has Donald Trump contributed to your campaign yet or is he as cheap as some of us suspect?

RPB: Donald Trump has been tremendously supportive, he’s done a campaign video and I suspect he’ll be even more helpful in the future.

Citing the skyrocketing number of shootings and the general rise in crime in the 15th Police District, Raj Bhakta hosted an emergency forum in Bridesburg last week.

Bhakta, the Republican candidate in the 13th Congressional District, said there is not enough police manpower in the district.

In Bhakta’s view, crime is responsible for the decline of many Northeast neighborhoods. He faults Mayor John Street for ignoring the woes in the Northeast.

"He’s happy to watch it go down the drain," he said.

Bhakta, who faces Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz and Libertarian candidate Chuck Moulton, hosted the forum at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2. He was joined by 15th Police District community relations officer Christine Murphy, Town Watch Integrated Services community support specialist Damian Padilla and longtime anti-drug and anti-crime crusader C.B. Kimmins.

Murphy told the overflow crowd, which was frustrated by the long response time by police, that officers are driving to one 911 call after another.

Padilla urged residents to join Town Watch, adding that his organization will train them to make 911 calls in such a way that the police will make their emergency a priority.

Kimmins agreed with Bhakta that there is a lack of police manpower. He encourages residents to become active in their community to show criminals that they don’t own the streets.

Bhakta, who addressed the group while standing on a chair, promised to fight for funding to add police officers and build prisons. He also favors providing Town Watch groups with money and empowering them to be more proactive in the fight against crime.

The candidate supports more undercover police work, additional foot patrols and greater use of bicycle cops. He wants any drug dealer convicted three times to be sentenced to life in prison.

"You should never live in fear," he told the audience.

In response to other questions, Bhakta vowed to fight to end Section 8 funding and expressed support for the Boy Scouts, who are being threatened with eviction from their city-owned headquarters for prohibiting gays from joining.

The challenger acknowledged that he has an uphill battle against the well-funded Schwartz, but asked residents to send him to Congress to address issues such as crime.

"Help me help you," he said.

Two Northeast Philadelphia men were fatally shot inside their homes within days of Mayor John Street’s televised plea for peace in the streets last week.

The first killing occurred early Friday as three people burst into a Frankford home and shot a man to death.

The incident occurred shortly after 4 a.m., according to police. Officers from the 15th Police District responded to reports of gunshots in a home on the 5000 block of Jackson St.

On the scene, they found a dead body in a second-floor bedroom. The victim was identified as Shakeem Perry, 21.

Another male in the house told police that three black men with guns entered the home looking to rob it. After being frustrated by the small amount of money in the house, one of the men shot Perry once in the back of the head.

One of the gunmen fired at the second man, but the weapon misfired. The threesome escaped in an unknown direction.

About 47 hours later, Crescentville became the scene of the city’s 232nd reported homicide this year as a man was shot multiple times inside his home early Sunday morning.

Officers from the 2nd Police District went to a home on the 300 block of Stevens St. just before 3 a.m. in response to a report of a person with a gun, said Capt. Michael Costello of the homicide division.

Inside the living room, the officers discovered the body of Tarik Hunter, 34, who had been wounded in the head, torso and leg, Costello said. Hunter was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not named any suspects in the shooting or disclosed a suspected motive.

Three black males in white t-shirts were "seen in the area" immediately prior to the shooting, but descriptions given to investigators have been minimal.

The homicides followed Street’s July 27 address outlining steps being taken to end the rising number of shootings and killings in the city.

Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call the police homicide division at 215-686-3334 (3335, 3336).

Anthony Chisholm was 9 when he secretly played with his stepfather's pistol.

Jamil Thomas was 10 when an older boy let him hold a 9mm.

Raymond Ferguson was 11, his brother, 12, when they spotted a plastic shopping bag at a playground, with distinctive outlines.

Both boys knew what was inside.

Luis Cheverez at 13 burglarized a house, scoring a Glock.

At 14, Tyson Montgomery stole a .357-caliber snub-nosed revolver.

Antwian Melvin was 15 when a friend gave him a Ruger.

As Philadelphia reels from mounting gun deaths and shootings, especially among black males in their teens and 20s, the question at the heart of the problem is: Why?

Offering insights are the stories of these six young men, all sent to Pine Grove State Correctional Institution, a prison in Western Pennsylvania for juveniles convicted of adult crimes.

Three are in state prison for armed robbery, another for shooting and paralyzing a 19-year-old. Two are serving life sentences for murder.

I think the Boy Scout's Cradle of Liberty Council needs a new merit badge: the Weasel Badge!

It would be awarded to Scouts who act in opposition to admirable qualities, like honor, that the Council tries to instill in its 64,000 local members.

For guidance, Scouts can look at the Cradle's actions regarding its potential eviction from the city-owned property it occupies, rent-free, at 22nd and Winter.