During a recent interview on Fox News, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker faced a challenging moment as he attempted to address Chicago’s troubling reputation as the city with the highest murder rate in the United States. The Democratic governor, who is also an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, appeared on “Special Report” with Bret Baier, where he was questioned about the alarming statistics.
Baier pressed Pritzker with a direct question: “Why does Chicago have the highest murder rate?” In response, Pritzker countered, “We’re not in the top 30,” aiming to downplay the issue.
However, Fox News presented a map featuring official FBI murder statistics for the nation’s most populous cities. The data revealed that in 2024, Chicago experienced approximately 17.5 murders per 100,000 residents, a figure that placed it at the forefront of major U.S. cities in terms of homicide rates.
Pritzker attempted to offer a more optimistic perspective, pointing out, “Our murder rate has been cut in half over the last four years, and every year it has gone down by double digits,” highlighting recent improvements despite the city’s current standing.
Baier, referring to the map, emphasized Chicago’s position: “Chicago is number one over Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, and San Diego,” underscoring the gravity of the situation in the Windy City.
Referring to the map, Baier said: ‘Chicago is number one over Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York and San Diego.’
Pritzker fired back: ‘You can pull statistics up, I can too. I am explaining to you that our murder rate has been cut in half.
‘Very importantly Bret, we’ve been doing the things necessary to bring crime down. We’ve invested in community violence interruption, we’ve invested in police.’
JB Pritzker sat down on Fox News with Bret Baier on Thursday and attempted to downplay the homicide rate in the city of Chicago
Baier, seen here, sprung a map compiled of FBI data showing on the Governor, detailing how Chicago had the highest murder rate in 2024 amongst other huge US cities
The data used on air also highlighted how in 2024 there were 539.8 instances of violent crime per 100,000 residents in the city.
There was also 3,472 property crimes per 100,000 residents, with a total of 4,012 crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2024, according to the report.
President Donald Trump used the figures when he referred to the Windy City as ‘the murder capital of the world’ earlier this year.
There was some substance to Governor Pritzker’s insistence that Chicago is improving, with the 188 homicides recorded between January and June 33 percent fewer than the total for the same period in 2024.
This year is the first since 2014 that fewer than 200 murders were recorded in Chicago during the first six months of the year.
In a press release dated August 25, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also said shootings had dropped by 38 percent.
Those figures have done little to quell Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in the city.
Around 200 troops from Texas touched down in the city earlier this month alongside 200 Illinois guardsmen federalized by the Pentagon.
Fox cut to a map during the interview between the two to highlight the murder rate in the city
Trump used the figures quoted on Fox when he referred to the Windy City as ‘the murder capital of the world’ earlier this year
Federal agents detain a protester outside of the Broadview ICE in Broadview, Illinois, on September 26
Trump even threatened to put Pritzker behind bars for ‘failing to protect ICE officers’ undertaking operations in the city.
A defiant Pritzker told reporters: ‘There’s one thing I really want to say to Donald Trump: if you come for my people, you come through me. So come and get me.’
Trump has frequently referred to the city as ‘Chiraq’, saying that Antifa rioters have put ICE agents at risk as they rounded up illegal immigrants.
For over a month, ICE officials have faced daily clashes with protesters at their detention facilities.
The state and the city have both sued the administration to block them from sending more troops.
While Chicago murders are trending down, the city continues to have a serious image problem.
Designer stores along its ‘Magic Mile’ are frequently ransacked by smash-and-grab raiders, with dystopian illegal street takeovers also paralyzing intersections.
