Chicago shootings leave 7 dead and 47 injured

Photo of Yassine Rahaoui in Unsplash

Labor Day weekend left a trail of violence: At least seven people were killed and more than 50 injured in multiple shootings between Friday night and early Monday morning in Chicago.

At least 32 armed incidents were reported in various neighborhoods, including four mass shootings. In one of them, in Bronzeville, a vehicle opened fire on a crowd, leaving seven people injured.

Political alarm and strong rejection of militarization

President Donald Trump used the episode to push for the deployment of the National Guard, stating, “We’re coming” if Governor JB Pritzker doesn’t take decisive action.

Pritzker rejected the military intervention, calling it an invasion and indicating he would seek legal action if federal troops arrived. Mayor Brandon Johnson also publicly opposed it, signing an executive order prohibiting local police from collaborating with federal forces. He called instead for social investments, not militarization.

Chicago: Falling Balance Against Persistent Violence

Despite a spike in violence over the holiday weekend, crime in Chicago has been trending downward so far this year, with shootings down 37% in 2019 and homicides down 32% in 2019. However, last weekend reignited public concerns about city safety.

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Sources:

• EFE