Lightfoot addresses Chicago's violent Independence Day weekend

[July 06, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The city of Chicago experienced a violent Independence Day weekend in which at least eight people were killed and 29 were injured. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says they're making improvements in public safety.

The holiday weekend saw a total of 68 reported shootings, eight of which were fatal, and several of the shootings ended up without someone in custody.

Lightfoot, who took office in 2018, has seen the murder rate in Chicago increase by 18% since taking office. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, she said even with the shootings this weekend, the city is improving.

"Well look, if you consider what we experienced a year ago, this weekend I believe we were actually down in shootings," Lightfoot said.

David Brown, Chicago police superintendent, backed up the mayor's claim.

"We were one percent down in homicides, double digits down in shootings, but still one shooting is too many," Brown said.

Former President Donald Trump told The Center Square last month before his visit to Illinois that what is going on in Chicago is unseen.

"Recently, it has gotten worse, it is not even believable," Trump said. "That is not living in a safe place. That's not even close to living in a safe place, I have never seen numbers like theirs."

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Chicago Mayors Office Facebook

One of the incidents that occurred this weekend involved an officer in their vehicle and what Illinois State Police is calling a "mob action."

On July 3, an officer pulled into the intersection of Division Street and Elston Avenue. When the trooper approached the intersection, several people from a group of about 100 began to swarm the ISP trooper’s squad vehicle, jumping on the hood, breaking the windshield, kicking the vehicle, and throwing rocks, bricks, and fireworks, according to ISP.

Lightfoot blamed those involved in the incident.

"That says to me that the people who were acting so brazenly have no respect for themselves, but they do not have respect for the institution like the police department," Lightfoot said.

Trump said what is going on in the city of Chicago is similar to what happened in Afghanistan.

"I would oftentimes compare Afghanistan to Chicago, where many people are shot over the course of the weekend and many of them killed," Trump said.

The murder rate in Chicago has increased by 18% since 2018 and is up 26% since 2019. Seven months into 2022, Illinois has seen 26 fewer murders than it did during the same time in 2021.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.