Chicago Releases Numbers on Shootings for September

In this Aug. 7, 2016, photo, a woman sits on the curb as police in the background investigate the scene where gunfire at a birthday party left a man dead and a woman injured. (Ashlee Rezin /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Reports released over the weekend show that 59 people were shot and killed in Chicago during the month of September.

There were 300 incidents and 358 shooting victims. More than 6,500 guns were seized—a 21 percent increase over the last year, WGN-TV reported.

In comparison, 63 people were killed were in September 2015. In August 2016, there were at least 78 homicides.

Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson promised to increase the number of police officers by 1,000, while adding better technology and training.

For the year, more than 3,100 people have been shot and killed in Chicago, says a report from DNAInfo. That’s 300 more than the number of people shot in all of 2015. DNAInfo said that 543 people were killed. In all of last year, 494 people were killed in the city.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel followed up on Johnson’s announcement, saying that there would be mentoring programs.

“We cannot afford to lose another generation to gangs,” including the Vice Lords, Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings, Emanuel said. “The deck has been stacked against the kids, and it’s time we reshuffle that deck and put our kids on top,” he added.

Emanuel said that $30 million will be spent on the initiative, WGN reported.

On Sept. 30, a 31-year-old bus driver was shot on Chicago’s West Side, according to NBC5. There were children on the bus when the shooting took place.

“It could have been me and I’m glad that it was not me,” said student Destini Small, according to the station. “I’m still, you know, sad about that, that even took place.”