The gun violence that has plagued Chicago for so many years continued over the holiday weekend as dozens of people were shot and five were killed in the city. According to CBS Chicago, the string of shootings have occurred in spite of the fact that police deployed 1,200 officers to patrol the streets this weekend, most of whom are out between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
While Chicago has experienced violent holiday weekends in the past, this year the high tally of gun violence serves as a reminder that an intractable problem continues its deadly course. The Chicago Tribune reports by Sunday evening of Memorial Day weekend, Chicago police had responded to shootings of 34 people.
CBS Chicago reports that no arrests have been made in connection with the five fatal shootings. Last month, Chicago elected Lori Lightfoot as its new mayor. Lightfoot has pledged to fight the ongoing occurrence of gun violence, calling the problem a “public health crisis.”
