4 Fatally Shot, 64 Injured In 4th Of July Weekend Gun Violence
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 5, 2016 3:04PM
Four people were fatally shot and at least 64 more were wounded over the Fourth of July weekend, the Tribune reports. Twenty-eight of the shootings occurred after Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson addressed the media on Monday evening, crediting targeted arrests of gang members for the initial period of quiet that preceded a dramatic, 15-hour spike in gun violence.
Eighty-eight people were arrested ahead of the weekend, Johnson said in a press conference on Thursday, as police targeted individuals from the controversial "Strategic Subject List."
The holiday weekend had the potential to be one of the most violent weekends on Chicago record. It's often the most violent stretch of the year, and gun violence risen overall in the city in 2016. Last year, at least ten people were fatally shot and 54 more were wounded in city gun violence.
Police on Friday outlined their strategy to combat the potential wave: thousands of uniformed and plain-clothed officers; additional FBI agents, state troopers and sheriff's deputies will also be on patrol; a targeted presence on highways and major streets; and increased police visibility at major holiday events.
It appeared to be largely successful until the late-weekend upsurge.
Three children were among those wounded on Monday, including a 5-year-old and 7-year-old in West Englewood who were shot while setting off fireworks; and an 11-year-old who first mistook the bullet that struck him for fireworks.
Chicago had already reached 300 homicides by late June.