Young people stage ‘die in’ outside City Hall calling for more youth resources to prevent gun violence

A group of around two dozen young people from around the city perform a “die in” in front of City Hall on Monday demanding better solutions for youth instead of an earlier curfew. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times)

A group of about 24 young people laid down and pretended they were shooting victims outside City Hall on Monday afternoon before calling on the city to put more resources into youth programming that will help prevent gun violence.

“This is important to me because as a Black youth in the city I have lost friends and family members to violence,” said DeShawn Smith, 21, a leader with Communities United, a group that promotes racial justice.