The city of Chicago is grappling with the aftermath of a deadly Memorial Day weekend, as 11 people were killed and at least 45 others injured in shootings or stabbings, making it the deadliest holiday weekend in eight years.
According to reports from the Chicago Sun-Times, the incidents took place across various neighborhoods in the city, including Auburn Gresham, Heart of Chicago, Little Village, Austin, Lake View, West Garfield Park, and Woodlawn. Shockingly, two non-fatal shooting incidents involved separate 2-year-olds, one who accidentally injured herself with a gun she found in the street, and the other shot in the hand while playing in a bedroom.
Newly elected Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson’s neighborhood was not spared from the violence, with two of the incidents occurring close to his home. A woman was found dead from stab wounds two blocks away, while another person was injured in a shooting in Johnson’s West Side neighborhood.
In response to the expected increase in violence, multiple police officers worked on their days off. 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 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.
Mayor Johnson is now rolling out a safety program to address the issue, which involves having more police on the ground, an increase in peace safety officers on hand to de-escalate situations, and programs for Chicago’s youth.
“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.”
Meanwhile, a shooting incident at a beach in Hollywood, Florida, left nine people injured, including children, highlighting that Chicago was not the only place to experience excessive violence over the holiday weekend.