At least 41 people were shot and nine killed in shootings in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend.
Historically, Memorial Day weekend has been marked by an increase in violent incidents in Chicago, making it one of the most challenging periods for public safety in the city. Last year, a total of 52 people were shot and nine killed over the holiday weekend.
Hoping to de-escalate the violence, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced last week that “peacekeepers” would be deployed citywide to deal with any conflict.
But many people were still caught up in the violence as dozens were attacked by gunfire across the city.
The weekend was also seen as a crucial test for newly inaugurated Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office earlier this month with a commitment to address public safety through “intelligent and holistic approaches” rather than relying solely on on toughness.
One person pulled out and fired a gun during the scuffle that took place at 1:30 p.m. Friday, as North Avenue Beach opened ahead of Memorial Day weekend
At least 41 people were shot and nine killed in shootings in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. A car window was smashed after an incident on North Avenue Beach on Friday
In the early hours of Sunday morning, a 20-year-old man was shot and killed in Washington Heights. Police said the man was approached by two others, with at least one of the two men opening fire. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago police said as they continue their investigation.
Just minutes later, three men were shot as they walked down a sidewalk on Chicago’s North Side, police said. A man was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition with gunshot wounds to his back and chest. The two other men would be in better shape, but still had to go to the hospital. Police say it is not clear what led to the shooting incident.
Near West Garfield Park, two people were shot just after 2 a.m. as they sat in a parked car, police said. The man was shot in the head and later pronounced dead. The woman was in critical condition at Mount Sinai Hospital in the city. Police said no arrests have yet been made as they continue their investigation.
In another incident, a 26-year-old was shot and killed in his car after leaving a gas station on Saturday night. According to police, a suspect fired shots in a white SUV. The victim was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Again, police said no one was yet in custody as they investigate the incident.
A 14-year-old girl was the victim of another shooting on Saturday when she stood in a crowd in Englewood. Just before 10 p.m., shots rang out that hit the girl and left her with an abrasion. She was treated on the spot. According to police, no one had been arrested.
A woman was also killed and three men injured near Auburn Gresham on Saturday. Police said a vehicle approached the four and opened fire. The woman, 69, was found in a car nearby. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and later pronounced dead. The three other men, aged 55, 34 and 26, were all taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. No one was arrested after the shooting.
A man was shot and killed in Humboldt Park Saturday morning after being hit by multiple gunfire. Police are investigating the incident as he later died in hospital.
Another man was shot dead on Saturday. At around 3:20 a.m., a man identified as Johnathan Salgado, 22, was gunned down in the Little Village neighborhood. He died in hospital from gunshot wounds to his chest. Police say no arrests have been made.
Two people were shot early Saturday morning in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood. A man, 36, and a woman, 37, were standing on a sidewalk around 3am when shots were fired. The man died when the woman was taken to hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to her face.
Police gathered just before Memorial Day weekend after crowds on North Avenue Beach were seen taking cover on Friday when gunfire went off
A 35-year-old was shot less than an hour earlier near Lakeview. He was later pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital. Police investigated the incident without arresting anyone.
Another man, 33, died at about 12:50 a.m. Saturday at Auburn Gresham. He was found by police with a gunshot wound to his armpit. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
In other incidents, a police officer accidentally fired his gun. He injured himself and another man.
A 16-year-old girl was also shot in East Garfield Park on Saturday but was hospitalized in fair condition, as was another teenager who was shot at his home in Jeffrey Manor. He was taken to hospital in good condition.
There were also horrific attacks on Friday as crowds took cover on North Avenue Beach when gunfire rang out after a fight broke out between a group of 80 to 100 teenagers.
One person pulled out a gun and fired it during the scuffle that took place at 1:30 p.m. and saw hundreds of beachgoers run and scream. No one was hit by the bullets and no injuries were reported.
Chicago’s historic surge in violence echoed last year’s chaos, when 52 people were shot and nine killed during the holiday.
This also surpassed last weekend’s incidents in which 23 people were shot, including one who was killed, police said.