We know of two cities already — Baltimore and Washington, D.C. — where the number of homicides so far this year has already surpassed the number committed in all of 2014. Police are already dreading the long weekend in Chicago, where this week they recorded nine people shot and killed in one day, including an 11-year-old who was shot by a relative while the two were inside playing with a gun.
Chicago just had its deadliest day since 2003. Nine people shot dead yesterday. http://t.co/O2SMEsGL5E
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) September 3, 2015
The Chicago Tribune today examined the rise in homicides and found explanations ranging from increased gang activity to lack of opportunities.
In an interview, Robert Tracy, the department’s chief of crime control strategies, said that more than ever petty disagreements and interpersonal conflicts are too often being settled by gunfire.
“We have a very big gang problem in the city of Chicago, and at the same time we have too many people carrying illegal guns without many consequences,” said Tracy, picking up on a favorite theme of Superintendent Garry McCarthy, who blames the proliferation of guns and lax gun laws for much of the violence.
Tracy Siska, executive director of the Chicago Justice Project, an independent nonprofit research group, said the reasons for the violence are much broader than policing and gun laws. He said a lack of investment in struggling neighborhoods plays an important part.
“Chicago has an endemic problem with poverty and a high concentration of segregation,” Siska said. “The persistent problems with violence are rooted in poverty, lack of education and lack of opportunities. The city has abandoned some neighborhoods and doesn’t care what happens in some communities.”
The number of homicides in Chicago caught the eye of Laura Ingraham.
8 homicides in 1 day are latest signs of Chicago's bloody summer http://t.co/0v88QAiSNm
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle yeah, but, gun control
— ❌Master Chief PO117❌ (@HaloChiefPO117) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle They must be knife homicides right because it's illegal to own a gun in Chicago. Criminals breaking laws = shocking.
— August West (@ffokc) September 6, 2015
https://twitter.com/CornfieldBison/status/640334369438109696
@IngrahamAngle Strictest gun control in the country, thanks to our H.U.A. in chief.
— Dave Sacal (@flynfr) September 6, 2015
https://twitter.com/dissident641/status/640337657206190080
Al Sharpton will be there tomorrow to preach a special message.
We must stop this violence. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/HZoOh3LvTv
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) September 5, 2015
@IngrahamAngle and all Rahm can think to do is raise taxes
— ??FormerNYer⭐⭐⭐?? (@NYexception) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle Rahm will raise taxes and make everything okay!
— happkat (@happkat) September 6, 2015
@happkat
Right. Typical liberal response to a problem, throw money at it.— Deirdre Robinson (@DeirdreDrdr) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle BLM up there protesting?
— j legro (@jlegro6969) September 6, 2015
The last we saw #BlackLivesMatter in Chicago, they were chasing Emanuel out the back exit of his budget meeting under police escort.
https://twitter.com/ErsteKrieger/status/640335416617402373
@IngrahamAngle apparently Chicago lives don't matter to liberals.
— Gary Brown (@gnbleadership) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle Wow – not 1 was shot by a white cop. Where's @blacklivesmatter
— Daryl Clark (@saintssoftball3) September 6, 2015
@IngrahamAngle Proof liberal progressive policies aren't helping inner cities. Hope & Change = Gun violence, poverty, lack of opportunity.
— Adriana Cohen (@AdrianaCohen16) September 6, 2015
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