CHICAGO — Murders in the nation's third-largest city are up about 72%, while shootings have surged more than 88% in the first three months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, according to data released Friday by the Chicago Police Department.
Police said the disturbing rise in violence is driven by gangs and mostly contained to a handful of pockets on the city's South and West sides.
“While CPD will remain tireless in its efforts to hold criminals accountable for their actions, we all have a part to play in creating a safer Chicago,” newly appointed interim Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a statement. “In the coming weeks and months, I plan on meeting with and listening to a range of Chicagoans — from activists and elected officials to ministers and parents — to find ways that we can come together to build mutual trust and lasting partnerships that will make our streets safer for everyone.”
The city has seen 141 murders this year, compared with 82 murders at the same point last year. Police reported 677 shootings this year compared with 359 at the same point last year.
The grim rise in violence comes after the Chicago Police Department reported 468 murders in 2015, a 12.5% increase from the year before. There were 2,900 shootings in 2015, 13% more than the year before, according to Police Department records.
The rise in violence comes as the police department reported a decrease in investigative stops by cops on the streets during the first two months of the year. The police department entered an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union, which went into effect Jan. 1, to record contact cards for all street stops after the organization criticized the city's police for disproportionately targeting minorities for questioning and searches.
USA TODAY