One person was killed and 10 others were injured in just six hours on Chicago’s South Side as a result of an outbreak of gun violence that occurred on the hottest day of 2022. This served as a reminder that the city is entering the warmest and bloodiest season of the year.
On Tuesday, there were 21 people shot in the city, including the victims, who were among those shot.
The Chicago Police Department recorded 779 occurrences involving gunfire and 194 homicides over the first eight months of this year, which is an increase from the same period in 2021. There was a significant rise in the number of homicides committed in Chicago and other American cities in the past year. The 797 homicides committed in Chicago in 2021 were the city’s highest toll in the past quarter century, exceeding the total number of homicides committed in Los Angeles by 400 and in New York by over 300.
The most recent instance of gun violence in Chicago took place amid an increase in the number of mass shootings, which are defined by the Gun Violence Archive as occurrences in which at least four people are shot. These shootings have taken place in a variety of locations across the United States, including both urban and rural settings.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, an unnamed gang of shooters reportedly rushed out of a stolen vehicle and opened fire in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, according to the police. The victim, a 19-year-old male who has not been identified, was found with a gunshot wound to the head and passed away at a hospital after being treated for his injuries. His identity is not currently known to the general public.
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In addition to the two people who lost their lives, there were also two more who suffered critical injuries. Two adolescents were the targets of gunfire from unknown gunmen. One of the victims was struck a total of four times, including once in the face. According to the authorities, it is anticipated that both will survive.
After the assailants ran away, destroyed the vehicle, and fled the scene on foot, they left behind three weapons at the scene.
According to David Brown, the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, investigators believe the incident was tied to a gang conflict that started a month ago after a member of an opposing gang was supposedly responsible for the shooting and death of the brother of a key gang boss.
According to Brown, a group of members of a local gang attacked several police officers on Tuesday afternoon while the cops worked to save the lives of those who had been injured. He stated that two members of the gang had been taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
Before 10:30 p.m., a group of people in an SUV began firing their weapons in Jackson Park, which is the location of the building of the Obama Presidential Center. The shooting resulted in the deaths of four women and two men. After being brought to the hospital, the authorities stated that two women were in critical condition when they arrived there.
Brown believes that a disagreement between two groups regarding the interruption of a rapper’s performance that was being live-streamed on Facebook may have been a contributing factor in the shooting that took place earlier this month.
Both gunshot incidents have not led to any charges being made.
About an hour later, a man and a woman were both shot in Jackson Park, but the authorities were unable to ascertain whether the two shootings were connected.
On Tuesday, the Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, suggested that the weather may have had a role in two of the shootings that took place in Jackson Park. However, he did not go so far as to state that weather played a role in the other two shootings that took place on the South Side of the city.
As the temperature in Chicago and other places rises, the number of shootings that take place also increases. The National Weather Service recorded a high of 89 degrees in Chicago on Tuesday after the city had seen temperatures in the 50s and 60s for the previous two weeks. The temperature on Wednesday, which peaked at 91 degrees, made it the warmest day of the week up to that point.
