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SIX people lost their lives, and 19 were injured in dreadful shootings over the weekend in Chicago, amidst ongoing political debates regarding the city’s crime rates.
Democratic leaders in Illinois maintain that residents are secure, even as President Donald Trump asserts that the Midwestern city requires his “Liberation Day” crime crackdown.
The Chicago Police Department releases daily statistics revealing how many people are involved in shootings in the Windy City.
Officials report that there have been 262 killings this year, which shows a decrease from the murder spike in 2020, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
The city experienced a significant surge in violent crime from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and widespread protests until 2022, but the numbers have been gradually decreasing since then.
This past weekend, six people were killed in the latest rampage of gun violence, and one of the victims was a child, according to cops.
A five-year-old tragically obtained a gun and accidentally shot himself fatally on Sunday afternoon, local pastor Donovan Price informed ABC affiliate WLS.
A woman has been arrested and charged with child endangerment following the tragic death.
Also on Sunday, a 17-year-old boy died after suffering a single gunshot wound to the head, police said.
A weapon was recovered at the scene, and no arrests have been made.
At around 9:42 on Sunday night, cops responded to a call and found two men suffering from gunshot wounds.
The first victim, who was aged from 25 to 35, was struck multiple times in the torso and was rushed to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead.
The other victim was hit in the head and was in the hospital fighting for his life.
Shortly before midnight on Sunday, a 35-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man were involved in an argument with another man, known to the police, who then drew a gun and shot them.
The 25-year-old man was hit in the body and was rushed to the hospital, where he died.
The woman was hit on the side and was in critical condition.
The shooter rushed into a nearby residence and blocked himself inside while a SWAT team responded.
He eventually turned himself in and was arrested.
Meanwhile, on Friday, just after 10 pm, an unknown man walked up to two 38-year-old men who were hanging out on the side of the street and opened fire on them.
Both of the victims were rushed to the hospital, where they eventually died.
CRIME CRACKDOWN
Trump has made it clear that Chicago is at the top of the list of places that could soon see a federal crime crackdown.
He’s been threatening to deploy federal troops on city streets since federalizing the local police forces in Washington DC in what he called “Liberation Day.”
Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump said that he was waiting for Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to ask for the national guard to be deployed.
“Chicago, everybody knows how bad it is,” the president said, describing the city as a “killing field.”
“Everybody standing there knows […] They should be saying, ‘Please, come in.'”
On Monday, Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker blasted Trump’s remarks and said, “Do not come to Chicago, you are neither wanted here nor needed here”
“Donald Trump wants to use the military to occupy a US city to punish its dissidents and score political points,” the governor said.
“If this were happening in any other country, we would have no trouble calling it what it is – a dangerous power-grab.”
Trump Brings National Guard to DC
How Does Federalizing a City’s Police Force Work?
- The president can take control if local order breaks down or with city approval.
- In DC, federal law allows Congress and the president to oversee police under certain rules.
- A federal official can be put in charge of the local police temporarily.
How Do Federal Police and the National Guard Work Together?
- Federal agents (FBI, DEA, Secret Service) can assist or lead law enforcement efforts.
- The National Guard can be called in by the president to support or restore order.
- When federalized, the Guard works under federal command but usually does not handle regular policing.
- All forces must coordinate closely to avoid overlap and work effectively.
CRIME OVER THE YEARS
On Wednesday, the White House published a press release highlighting damning statistics on crime in Chicago.
In 2024, Illinois’ hub was deemed the homicide capital of the country for the 13th year in a row, according to The Center Square.
It also had the highest murder rate per capita among big cities, including Los Angeles and New York City.
Since January 1, a massive 147,000 crimes have been reported, but just 16.2% of them have resulted in arrests, according to data released by the city government.
Locals have been left outraged by the violence that ends up at their doors, and some are calling for an increase in policing.
After five people were shot at a senior living facility, one local pastor and advocate Sandie Norman said, “You have seniors that have been shot. Where’s the outcry?”
“We need to have a police car out here and detail because we don’t know if this will happen again,” she told the Chicago Sun-Times.
