Firearms account for 81 percent of all homicides in Philadelphia. This phenomenon presents challenges to both law enforcement and public health officials. Police have traditionally responded to crimes only after they have occurred (i.e., 911), but this paper will discuss the efficacy of GIS technology to identify spatial and temporal patterns in these firearm-related crimes. This paper will describe an application developed with MapObjects to recognize these patterns and thus enable police to deploy officers strategically. This signals a paradigm shift by allowing officers to implement proactive tactics. Finally, statistical implications of these patterns will be explored.