Age Differences in Near-Repeat Shooting Victimization: Evidence From Philadelphia

Prior research has identified near-repeat patterns in shooting victimization, but less is known about whether these patterns operate similarly across victim age groups. This study examined fatal and nonfatal shooting victimizations in Philadelphia from 2022 through 2025, comparing near-repeat patterns for youth victims ages 15–19 and adult victims ages 20–39. Using a modified Knox method, the analysis assessed whether shooting victimizations were followed by additional victimizations nearby and soon afterward. Results showed different patterns across the two groups. Adult shooting victimizations exhibited elevated and statistically significant clustering in the closest spatial and temporal bands, consistent with prior near-repeat research on shootings. Youth shooting victimizations did not show the same immediate close-in-space and close-in-time pattern. Sensitivity analyses using alternative youth and adult age groupings produced the same general finding. These results suggest that near-repeat patterns in shooting victimization may vary by victim age group. The findings highlight the importance of disaggregating shooting victimizations by age when examining short-term spatial and temporal patterns of firearm violence.