At least seven people killed in Chicago shootings as Trump renews military call | Chicago
As police say at least seven people have been killed and dozens injured in multiple shootings in Chicago since Friday, Donald Trump once again called for military intervention in the midwestern city.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned why Illinois governor JB Pritzker did not welcome the military deployment.
“Why doesn’t Governor Pritzker call me for help? I can make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, within ONE YEAR, it will be one of the safest cities!!!” Trump wrote in a post on Sunday. “DC went from one of the worst cities in the USA to one of the safest”
The Trump administration has deployed national guard troops to Washington, D.C., as well as Democrat-led cities such as New Orleans and Memphis.
Against Trump’s post a new study The Niskanen Center, a nonpartisan think tank, found that the national guard’s presence had minimal impact on violent crime in D.C.
Pritzker has repeatedly rejected Trump’s proposal to federalize members of the state’s national guard, suing the Trump administration last year to block the deployment.
A representative for Pritzker did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
Although Chicago police data show a slight increase in shootings compared to the first half of last year, the city has seen an overall decline in violent crime rates over the past few years, in line with national trends.
Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicates that at least two dozen shooting incidents have occurred since 5 p.m. Friday. At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled over and two people inside began shooting, police said.
The ages of 8 men and 4 women in the group ranged from 17 to 47. They were receiving treatment in four hospitals. Another man suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment, police said.
Among these was killed This weekend’s shootings involve a 33-year-old man, a 34-year-old man and a 21-year-old man; They are all separate events. Authorities have not yet released the identities of most of the victims.
The attack took place on Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the attacks in a post to X on Saturday.
“What was supposed to be a night of celebration and social reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence,” Johnson said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones… Violence has no place in our city and those responsible will be held accountable.”
Earlier Friday, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama welcomed their first visitors to the presidential headquarters on the South Side. The star-studded opening featured performances by John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Bruce Springsteen and many more musicians. Joe Biden and George W. Bush also attended the meeting.
Embers not invited Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett, in her speech at the opening of the center, stated that the opening was held to host Obama’s supporters and celebrate the work done to bring the center to life.
“We said, ‘If President Trump wants to come and take a tour, we’d love to show him this campus and all the amazing things we have to offer, both to the people who live here and to the people who come to visit from around the world,'” Jarrett told NBC News.
Associated Press contributed reporting
