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At least 100 people were shot in Chicago over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, including 19 people who died from their injuries, according to police.
The shootings happened between 6 p.m. on July 3 and 6 a.m. on July 7, according to the Chicago Police Major Incident Notifications system. Two more people were shot on July 7.
Among those killed during the weekend shootings was an 8-year-old boy. He was shot alongside two other boys, ages 5 and 8, according to Chicago police.
In two separate incidents, eight people between the ages of 18 and 74 were shot and seven people between the ages of 15 to 40 years old were shot. The 40-year-old died from their injuries, according to police.
Erica Pinkerton told ABC 7 in Chicago that she grew up with the 74-year-old woman who was shot, and said she is tired of the violence.
“They don’t bother nobody. They are the sweetest ladies you will ever want to meet,” Pinkerton told the outlet. “We don’t know how to enjoy each other, because we’re so bitter and cold inside, towards one another and towards ourselves.”
It’s a startling 27 percent increase in shootings over the same time span in 2023 in which at least 73 people were shot, 11 fatally, during the holiday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement addressing the violence on Friday.
“We are devastated by the recent violence that has left our city in a state of grief and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and communities impacted by these recent events,” Johnson said in the statement.
“The City of Chicago is committed to ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors.”
The city had canceled time off for officers to “maximize presence and ensure prompt incident response,” and activated an emergency services assistance center to provide support to people in the community and would hold a community rally Friday afternoon to “promote bonding, support, and healing,” according to Johnson.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling also spoke on the spate of shootings during the holidays, according to ABC 7.
“We have to really stop and think about the mindset of someone who will shoot a child, a helpless child an unarmed mother and think that that’s okay. And go about their days,” Snelling said. “Those people have to be taken off the street. They have to be put away if we’re not doing that. Then we’re failing other families.”
