At least two people are dead and 40 were wounded in separate shooting incidents across Chicago over the weekend, officials said.
The number represents a significant drop from the previous weekends. Last weekend, more than 70 people were shot, 10 fatally, and over the weekend the week before, around 60 people were shot and 13 died. And on Father’s Day weekend in June, more than 100 people were shot.
A fatal shooting occurred at approximately 1:52 a.m. Saturday in East 78th Street, officials told WMAQ-TV. A 19-year-old woman was shot in the head before she was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Another fatal shooting was also reported Sunday afternoon when a 37-year-old man riding a bicycle was shot in the neck and chest in on West Carroll Avenue. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Another person is in critical condition after a shooting on Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. outside the W Hotel in the Streeterville neighborhood, said police, according to ABC7 in Chicago.
“We are aware of a situation that was reported today. The safety and security of our guests and employees is always a top priority. Because this matter is under police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the hotel said in a statement to the news outlet.
The weekend violence came after President Donald Trump last week announced that federal agents will be deployed to Chicago and several other cities in a bid to fight crime under Operation Legend.
“We’ll work every single day to restore public safety, protect our nation’s children, and bring violent perpetrators to justice,” Trump said at the White House. “We’ve been doing it, and you’ve been seeing what’s happening all around the country. We’ve just started this process, and, frankly, we have no choice but to get involved.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed Tuesday that federal agents would be sent to the city.
Chicago won’t “see a Portland-style deployment coming,” the Democratic mayor said, referring to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies arresting people who were involved in violent unrest and attacks on federal property.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District Of Illinois said that three men in Chicago now face federal gun crime charges in connection with Operation Legend, reported CBS Chicago.
Darryl Collins, 30, of Dolton; Romeo Holloway, 21, of Chicago; and Darryl Phillips, 22, of Chicago were charged and are being held in federal custody, officials said. They are the first arrests in Chicago in connection to the operation.
