'Why do we just live to die?' Principals fight to protect students in city ravaged by gun violence

PHILADELPHIA -- Amid skyrocketing gun violence in one of America's largest cities, school principals have joined forces to figure out how to protect and support their vulnerable students.

Philadelphia, with a population of approximately 1.6 million, has reported nearly 450 homicides this year, according to the data journalist at our sister station WPVI.

Comparatively, New York City reported around 380 homicides with a population of 8.3 million.

Among Philadelphia's shooting victims, 175 are under the age of 18, WPVI reported.

"There's a war going on in these streets, and none of us are safe," Shavonne McMillian, principal of Vaux Big Picture High School in North Philly, said during a Wednesday rally. "So many of those who are in the crossfire are civilians in this war."

LEARN MORE: Explore the Equity Report, step-by-step guide to accessing critical data from across the US

The Equity Report just debuted with ABC-owned television stations across the country, including Philadelphia.