Wednesday, 8 August 2018

Chicago appeals for help after dozens shot over weekend


Police in the US city of Chicago have asked for more help to combat gun violence after more than 60 people were shot over the weekend. At least 10 people were killed in the city and police say most of the shootings were gang related.
"I'm tired of it, everyone in this city is tired of it," police superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters on Monday.
"We continue to send a message that it's ok to commit these crimes by not doing anything as a community."



Most of the shootings happened on Sunday with 30 people shot between midnight and 03:00.
The majority of the incidents reportedly occurred in Chicago's south and west sides.
At Monday's news conference, Mr Johnson said that police had "really good leads on quite a few" of the suspected shooters, but no arrests have been made.
He said "the city isn't on fire," but emphasised the need for community members to identify the individuals causing the violence.
"Certainly CPD [Chicago Police Department] can do better but at the end of the day, the members of CPD don't go to bed with these individuals at night, they don't wake up with them in the morning," Mr Johnson said.
"Somebody knows who did it. They hold me accountable, they hold the mayor accountable, they hold the city council accountable - where's their accountability? I never hear people saying these individuals out here in the streets need to stop pulling the trigger."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel echoed Mr Johnson's call for citizens to speak out.
"All of us who love this city and call it home have a responsibility to heal our neighbourhoods," he said.
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani also weighed in about the weekend violence, calling it Mr Emanuel's "legacy".
He incorrectly tweeted that there were "63 murders this weekend" - at least 10 individuals were shot and killed, while others were injured.

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