Wiz Wit Guns? Armed Guards Protecting Customers at Legendary Cheesesteak Shop in Philadelphia, PA

How bad has crime gotten in the City of Philadelphia? Armed guards are now protecting customers at a legendary spot for cheesesteaks.

Let that sink in: it's so dangerous to wait in line on a sidewalk in the City of Brotherly Love that armed guards have been hired to keep everyone safe.

You can't even wait in line for a few minutes to get something to eat without the real chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime. Even in broad daylight.

Jim's West Steaks and Hoagies on 62nd Street between Girard and Callowhill in West Philadelphia has reopened and customers are thrilled, according to WPVI-TV.

However, Cortez Johnson, co-owner of the eatery, told the station,

The violence has spiked. It goes up and down. You want people to feel safe and be safe. So when they come out and eat, they don't have to worry about no type of harm.

So to make people feel safe, the shop hired armed guards.

The armed guards are all former members of the military, police, and law enforcement and have been sworn and certified by the state of Pennsylvania to do security work.

• WATCH: Armed Guards Protecting Customers

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Current murder count in Philadelphia

According to police, as of September 15th, the City of Philadelphia has recorded 305 murders. 274 of those are gun-related.

Murders in past years:

• 2022: 387
• 2021: 376
• 2020: 322
• 2019: 244

As of September 14th, 1,009 people have been non-fatal victims of gun violence in Philadelphia.