Violent Weekend in Chicago Spurs Call for Intervention

Chicago faced a wave of shootings over the weekend, resulting in at least seven deaths and 38 injuries, as reported by police. This surge in violence prompted President Donald Trump to once again advocate for military intervention in the city.

“Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help? I could make Chicago a safe city in one month, in one year, it would be one of the safest!” Trump expressed on Sunday through a Truth Social post. The office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, known for opposing Trump’s calls for military involvement, did not provide an immediate response.

Under the previous Trump administration, National Guard troops were deployed in various Democrat-led cities, including New Orleans and Washington, D.C., for crime-fighting purposes.

Data from the Chicago Police Department suggests a slight increase in shooting incidents compared to last year’s first half. However, overall violent crime rates in the city have declined over the past few years, mirroring national trends.

Preliminary details from Chicago police reveal at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those killed included a 21-year-old male shot on Sunday, an 18-year-old on Saturday, and a 50-year-old on Friday.

On Friday evening, 12 individuals in a street crowd were shot after an SUV approached, and occupants opened fire. Victims, aged 17 to 47, received treatment at various hospitals. Another individual, suffering unspecified injuries, declined medical assistance. This incident coincided with Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery in the U.S.

That same day, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side. “What should have been a night of celebration for Juneteenth was overshadowed by violence,” Mayor Brandon Johnson stated in a social media post. He extended his sympathies to the victims and their families, vowing accountability for those behind the violence.

Other U.S. cities faced similar gun-related incidents over the weekend. In Philadelphia, two were killed and two injured early Sunday, as reported by Fox-29. In Cincinnati, a Saturday evening shooting resulted in three deaths, according to WLWT. Kansas City, Missouri police are also investigating a Friday shooting that left one dead and five injured.

Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed from New Orleans.