Stunning data published by the Chicago Tribune is shedding new light on the escalating gun violence sweeping the Windy City; revealing at least 174 people under the age of 17 have been killed since 2011 and at least 1,665 shot.
“As Chicago’s crime rates live up to their national notoriety, a closer look at the problem reveals an alarming number of minors are being shot or killed in the crossfire. Grieving families and fractured communities often feel like they’ve been forgotten by authorities when investigations dry up and no one is held accountable for the violence. Hurt siblings, relatives and friends, unable to cope, sometimes turn toward crime themselves as the cycle continues,” writes Fox News.
The statistics may be even worse than reported, with the Tribune noting that over 7% of shooting data “does not include age,” meaning the death toll may be higher than reported .
“We can’t survive another year of mayhem,” Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., told Fox News. “The stress and strain of it is so great. Everyone seems to be on different pages and there are constant crosses and difficult situations to bear.”
Read the full report at Fox News.
GANGLAND CHAOS: Chicago Activists SHUT DOWN HIGHWAY to ‘Target Affluent’
Anti-gun protesters shut-down a major highway in the nation’s third-largest city Thursday, creating traffic chaos as Chicago police scrambled to contain the mass demonstrations.
According to the Associated Press, the planned march in the Windy City effectively stopped traffic along Lake Shore Drive, with demonstrators telling local news they’re “willing to be arrested” to highlight the region’s spiraling crime crisis.
Lake Shore Drive traffic shut down from Irving Park to Fullerton Ave. Ashland Ave and Western Ave can be used as alternative routes. #LakeShoreMarch
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) August 2, 2018
Chicago highway closure latest US protest targeting affluent (from @AP) https://t.co/rV7fZLFVa9
— Roger Schneider (@RogSchneider) August 2, 2018
“I’m hoping we have enough to…block traffic, to be a disruptive force” said one of the event’s organizers. “This is an act of civil disobedience.”
“You want to go where they chill out and relax,” he added.
Read the full story at the AP.
GANGLAND: 53 Shot, 10 DEAD Over the Weekend in ‘GUN FREE’ Chicago
Gun violence in the nation’s third largest city spiked over the weekend, leaving 53 people injured and at least ten dead as Chicago struggles to clamp-down on the escalating gang clashes sweeping the region.
According to ABC Chicago, city officials plan to hold high-level meetings Monday to ease public concerns after the bloody weekend; citing recent statistics that show gun deaths down so far this year.
“The violence has spilled over into Monday morning, including a murder that happened just after midnight in the Roseland neighborhood not far from Chicago State University,” writes ABC. “A person in a ski-mask fired shots at two people standing in front of a home. A 50-year-old man died a 55-year-old woman was hurt.”
“Detectives are working around the clock to investigate the incidents, build a timeline of events and identify any shooter,” said the Chicago Police Chief. “We’ll also be conducting coordinated enforcement missions to target individuals that are driving the violence in these areas and focus on where we believe retaliatory violence may occur.”
Read the full story here.