Recent shootings in Chicago have resulted in at least seven fatalities and 38 injuries since Friday evening, according to police reports. This surge in violence has led President Donald Trump to advocate for military intervention in Chicago.
On Sunday morning, Trump expressed his willingness to assist, stating on Truth Social, “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!!!” Governor JB Pritzker, who opposes the idea of military intervention, has not yet commented on Trump’s statement.
Under Trump’s administration, the National Guard has been deployed in other Democrat-led cities like New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. While Chicago has seen a slight increase in shooting incidents compared to the same period last year, overall violent crime rates in the city have decreased over the past few years, aligning with national trends.
Preliminary police data reveal at least 24 shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. The victims include a 21-year-old shot in the chest on Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit on Saturday evening, and a 50-year-old shot in the chest on Friday.
In a particularly severe incident, 12 people sustained gunshot wounds when an SUV approached a crowd on a Chicago street Friday evening, and shots were fired. The victims, ranging in age from 17 to 47, are receiving treatment at four hospitals. Another bystander declined medical treatment despite suffering unknown injuries.
This violence occurred on Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were in Chicago earlier Friday, greeting the first visitors to the presidential center on the South Side.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson remarked on the tragic events in an X post on Saturday, noting that a night meant for Juneteenth celebration was marred by violence. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones,” he said. The mayor emphasized that violence is unwelcome in the city and promised accountability for those responsible.
Similar violent incidents were reported in other major U.S. cities over the weekend. In Philadelphia, two individuals died and two were injured in a shooting early Sunday, as reported by Fox-29. In Cincinnati, a Saturday evening shooting led to three deaths, according to WLWT. In Kansas City, Missouri, police are investigating a Friday evening shooting that resulted in one death and five injuries.
Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed information from New Orleans.