The city of Chicago was rocked by violence over the holiday weekend as more than 40 people were wounded and 11 killed, the most deadly Memorial Day weekend in eight years.
According to a tally from the Chicago Sun-Times, at least 45 people were injured in shootings or stabbings, while another 11 were killed. Two of the violent incidents happened not far from the home of new Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson.
A woman was found dead from stab wounds two blocks from the mayor’s home, while another individual was injured in a shooting in his West Side neighborhood, according to the Sun-Times. It was the most people killed since 2015, though not the most injured.
Multiple police officers worked on their days off due to the expected increase in violence over the weekend.
Homicide victims included a 33-year-old unidentified man who was shot in the armpit, 35-year-old William Hair who was shot in the chest, 22-year-old Johnathan Salgado, a 35-year-old man who was shot in the face while standing on a sidewalk, an unidentified woman killed in a drive-by shooting, a 26-year-old shot in the back, and a 35-year-old man shot in the head while in his car.
The incidents took place throughout the city, including the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, the Heart of Chicago neighborhood, the Little Village neighborhood, the Austin neighborhood, the Lake View neighborhood, West Garfield Park, and Woodlawn.
Two non-fatal shooting incidents involved separate 2-year-olds. One involved a young girl accidentally injuring herself with a gun she found in the street, while the other involved a boy who was shot in the hand while playing in a bedroom.
The deadly weekend comes as Mayor Johnson is rolling out a safety program that includes having more police on the ground, an increase in peace safety officers on hand to de-escalate situations, and programs for Chicago’s youth.
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“It’s going to take all of us, not just the police, not just city government, to ensure that our communities can live and thrive in peace and safety,” Johnson said last week. “However you decide to spend your holiday weekend in Chicago, your safety is my top priority.”
Chicago was not the only place that experienced excessive violence over the holiday weekend. Nine people were injured during a shooting at a beach in Hollywood, Florida. Those injured included children.