Bostodelphia 21 Gun Salute to the Firearms of 2007 #17: 9mm Glock 17

The 9mm Glock 17 is the standard service weapon of the Philadelphia police department. While it's technically beyond the purview of our salute to '07, two police shootings over this weekend have raised the toll of dead by police weapons in Philadelphia for the year so far to 3. The 2007 death toll from police gunfire was 15, down 25% from 2006's toll of 20.

The first fatality of '08 was a man hit by police bullets after an officer responding to New Year's celebratory gunfire fired at a man standing in front of a residential doorway. The officer's 11 round volley hit his target, but also struck three people attending the New Year's party inside the residence.

It should be noted that 391 violent deaths also occurred in Philadelphia over '07 that had nothing to do with police gunfire. Small comfort may also be found in the slight drop those 391 deaths mark against 2006's murder total of 406.