Over the course of the weekend 70 people were shot
Chicago, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the US, turned into what one paramedic described as a “war zone” over the weekend as 70 people were shot, eleven fatally, in multiple shootings across the city.
30 of the shootings and several deaths occurred in one three-hour period on Sunday morning between midnight and 3 am.
“The city of Chicago experienced a violent night,” Chicago Police Chief Fred Waller said in a press conference Sunday afternoon.
“We know that some of these incidents were targeted and are related to gang conflicts in those areas,” he added.
The most recent shooting happened in the early hours of Monday morning when a man in a ski-mask fired two shots at people stood outside their home. According to reports, a 50-year-old male was killed whilst a 55-year-old woman was wounded in the shooting.
A teenage girl was killed and five other people, including an 11-year-old boy, were wounded during the spree that occurred early on Sunday. The 17-year-old suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead on the scene by police.
“Detectives are working around the clock to investigate the incidents, build a timeline of events and identify any shooter,” said Waller.
“We’ll also be conducting coordinated enforcement missions to target individuals that are driving the violence in these areas and focus on where we believe retaliatory violence may occur.”
Police believe some of the multiple-victim attacks were random although most appear connected to gang-related violence.
One shooting took place outside a laundromat and was witnessed by several families as a victim ran inside to escape from the shooter.
Earlier in the month, The Chicago Tribune reported that shootings in the city have declined, with 533 fewer shootings as of 1 August than the same time in 2017.
“By no means do these statistics show that we have a victory,” Waller said.
