Philly 1 Of 4 U.S. Cities To Get Youth Violence Prevention Grant - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

Philly 1 Of 4 U.S. Cities To Get Youth Violence Prevention Grant

Philadelphia was awarded $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Justice that will go toward efforts to curb youth violence in the city.

The announcement came in the same week the city was still investigating a shooting that left two teenagers in the hospital.

The announcement was made last week by the DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Officials say the Community-Based Violence Prevention money will allow the city to expand its CeaseFire program, among other things.

"Youth violence is not inevitable," Acting Administrator Melodee Hanes said in a statement.

"Among other activities, this funding will allow Philadelphia to expand its CeaseFire program and continue to change the culture of violence by mobilizing, educating the public, and reaching out to youth with the help of the city's leadership and law enforcement personnel."

The DOJ says Philadelphia is one of four cities that will receive a 2012 Community-Based Violence Prevention grant.

On the city's blog, an announcement said the grants would allow the city to target communities where the need is greatest, neighborhoods identified as "hotspots."

"These grants will help our city build the capacity and expertise to further decrease youth violence city-wide by creating systemic changes in prevention, intervention, enforcement and re-entry plans," Nutter told the city's blog.

The announcement came the same week of a shooting outside of a North Philadelphia SEPTA subway station that police say stemmed from a high school rivalry.

Two teens were shot. Police say the suspected gunman is just 15-years-old.