News and Commentary

104 Shot, 14 Killed In Chicago Weekend Violence; Other ‘Defund The Police’ Target Cities See Major Gun Crime Incidents

   DailyWire.com
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 21: A police officer wears a button with a picture of Sergeant Clifford Martin, a 25-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, while attending his funeral on April 21, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. Martin died on April 10, from complications from COVID-19. In accordance with the social distancing restrictions imposed by the state, only 10 family members were allowed inside the funeral home for the service and police officers joining in the procession were asked to remain in their cars outside of the funeral home during the service. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Chicago saw a very violent Father’s Day weekend, with more than 100 people shot and at least 14 killed, including five children, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The number of shootings makes last weekend the most violent weekend of 2020 for the midwestern metropolis, but hardly its deadliest. The last weekend of May saw more than 20 people killed but only 85 people were shot.

The youngest victim of the weekend’s violence was just three years old.

“A 3-year-old boy was fatally wounded when someone opened fire at his father while they were driving in [Chicago’s Austin neighborhood],” the Sun-Times says. “The toddler, identified as Mekay James, was struck in the back about 6:25 p.m. when someone in a blue Honda pulled behind the black SUV the boy’s 27-year-old father was driving in the 600 block of North Central Avenue and fired several rounds, authorities said.”

The police believe Mekay’s father was the intended target of the shooting.

Four other minors were killed, including two teenage boys, who were shot in an alley on the city’s south side, and a teenage girl, who was shot in the neck while sitting in the front room of her home.

In total, 12 minors were among the 104 people shot.

Chicago has seen a marked uptick in violence since allowing coronavirus-related lockdowns to expire and moving into “Phase 1” of reopening the city. Parts of the city, though, are seeing some of the worst gun violence in years, with dozens being shot each weekend — often more than in any year since 2012 when the city reached a peak.

The city’s police superintendent, David Brown, did his best to address the issue Sunday, promising to quell the rising tide of gun violence — and particularly gang-related gun violence — on the city’s south and west sides.

“Tears are a natural reaction to these tragic stories of violence. But we need to do more than just cry,” Brown said at a press conference, according to CBS Chicago. “Let’s keep violent offenders in jail longer, and let’s revamp the home monitoring system. It’s not working.”

Meanwhile, though, Chicago has become a target city for the “Defund the Police” movement and a number of demonstrations are demanding Chicago’s mayor Lori Lightfoot shift funding away from the city’s law enforcement agencies and better finance social services, anti-poverty, and mental health programs. At least two aldermen, members of the Chicago City Council, have proposed near-complete defunding of Chicago’s cops, per the Sun-Times.

Chicago is not alone in being both a target of anti-police agitators and a hotbed of violence. Minneapolis had a mass shooting over the weekend, which left 1 dead and at least 11 injured. Seattle, home to the “Capitol Hill Organized Protest,” or CHOP, also saw a deadly incident of gun violence late last week, followed by two more shootings over the weekend.

The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.

Create a free account to join the conversation!

Already have an account?

Log in

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
Download Daily Wire Plus

Don't miss anything

Download our App

Stay up-to-date on the latest
news, podcasts, and more.

Download on the app storeGet it on Google Play
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  104 Shot, 14 Killed In Chicago Weekend Violence; Other ‘Defund The Police’ Target Cities See Major Gun Crime Incidents