CHICAGO (WLS) — In response to recent violence, the Chicago Police Department is establishing an emergency assistance center at Cornell Square Park. This facility, opening Wednesday, will provide support to individuals impacted by recent violent incidents.
To raise awareness, officers from the Office of Victim Services have been distributing flyers throughout the Back of the Yards neighborhood, informing residents about the temporary center. The initiative comes after a series of mass shootings in the area.
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Just last Friday, a tragic shooting occurred near West 51st and South Wood Streets, resulting in two fatalities and injuries to five others.
Further violence erupted on Saturday in Bronzeville, where four children were injured in a shooting. A 13-year-old boy has since been charged in connection with the incident. Prior to the shooting, about 300 teenagers had gathered in the vicinity of 45th Street and Indiana Avenue. The victims included an 11-year-old, two 13-year-olds, and a 14-year-old.
In another incident on Monday night, a drive-by shooting in South Austin left four men injured, one of whom succumbed to his injuries. The Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment within the next 60 days.
“The emotional scars from these events can linger long after they leave the headlines,” said Lucy Hernandez of Hope Culture. “It’s crucial that we unite to support each other during these difficult times.”
The center is open to anyone affected by violence, assisting them with victim compensation applications, crisis counseling, and other support systems.
Police were joined by community partners who made it their mission to stop violence. Vaughn Bryant is the executive director of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, which supports numerous community-based groups, each with violence interrupters who use their connections to mediate disputes.
“The way violence happens, it can be in the snap of a finger, and somebody can be triggered and something’s happens, and there’s just no way for the police or violence intervention to be everywhere all the time,” Bryant said.
Bryant says violence interrupters make a positive difference. They have stopped shootings and teen trends. But Bryant says their work is most effective when parents are present.
“Sometimes, just the nature of being young, is you’re gone participate in high-risk behavior. That’s a normal thing. So, we as adults have to put some parameters around that, so our presence curbs their behavior,” Bryant said.
Pastor Donovan Price, who often responds to these shootings, said he is concerned at the young ages of these shooters and victims, for that matter, and intervention of any kind is needed.
“Whenever there are mass gatherings, whether they’re teen takeovers or a family picnic, there’s always a danger and bullets don’t know one from the other,” Price said. “And by being the start of summer, you worry even more if it’s going to escalate or if it’s just getting started your hope it’s not. I’ve seen many people doing good work to try and alleviate some of these incidents and gatherings, but still it’s a great concern because of the amount of people shot per incident.”
At the emergency assistance center, all services are free and confidential and available to anyone in need of support.
There will also be police outreach to other neighborhoods impacted by recent violence such as Grand Boulevard, Englewood, and Little Village.
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