CHICAGO () — At Bold Mongol restaurant in Bridgeport, residents and community leaders came together to demand stronger support from federal officials and more resources to confront what they say is an escalating wave of crime and gun violence in Chicago.
The call for action followed a series of shootings reported in neighborhoods across the city.
“When is this going to stop?” community activist Raul Montes Jr. asked.
Montes, speaking during the Bridgeport event, said many Chicagoans are worn down by the steady toll of violence.
“So, the carnage continues throughout Chicago, and we’re tired of it already,” Montes said.
Chicago police said they are looking into at least seven separate shooting incidents citywide, which investigators do not currently believe are related. Authorities said multiple people were wounded, and at least three people lost their lives.
In one case, police said a man was shot and killed near 45th Street and Honore Street around midnight. About two hours later, a 32-year-old man was fatally shot in the temple in West Garfield Park, according to police.
About a half-hour after that, investigators said a 29-year-old man standing outside a vehicle near 28th Street and Kedzie Avenue was killed in a drive-by shooting.
ALSO READ: Gavin Newsom Travels to Michigan Following Abdul El-Sayed’s Victory
Later in the morning, gunfire erupted shortly before 8:30 a.m. 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, leaving three people shot and another also wounded. They were listed in fair condition.
Community member Richard Zupkus said residents must take an active role in addressing violence.
“I’m not counting on the politicians to fix this. I’m not waiting on the police to do anything. We the people have to come together and figure out a different way of when we get upset with one another,” Zupkus said.
Montes called on Congress to provide additional federal support for violence prevention efforts.
“Anybody could be the next victim here. So, we’re calling on federal funding from Congress. We need more violence prevention initiatives. We need more police. We need more cameras. We need to work together,” Montes said.
According to Chicago Police Department crime statistics through July 31, analyzed by the ABC7 Data Team, homicides over the previous 12 months were trending up 1.4% compared with the same period last year.
However, the murder rate during the previous 12 months was lower than the annual average over the past three years.
Police have not announced any arrests in connection with the shootings.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood
