Chicago Shootings: 72 Shot, 12 Dead in ‘Chiraq’ Over July 4 Weekend

At least 72 people were shot in Chicago--including 12 fatally--over the July 4th holiday weekend, continuing a trend of weekend shootings in the city, according to local media reports on Monday.
Chicago Shootings: 72 Shot, 12 Dead in ‘Chiraq’ Over July 4 Weekend
Police investigate a crime scene where seven people were shot on July 6, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Jack Phillips
7/8/2013
Updated:
7/18/2015

At least 72 people were shot in Chicago--including 12 fatally--over the July 4th holiday weekend, continuing a trend of weekend shootings in the city, according to local media reports on Monday.

No suspects have been taken into custody in the deaths of the 12 victims, reported NBC Chicago.

A 7-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl were also seriously wounded on July 4 during separate shootings, it was reported.

NBC noted that many of the dozens of shootings in Chicago, sometimes called “Chiraq” by locals, were related to gang violence.

Terry Patterson, 49, was the last person to be reported killed over the weekend, according to NBC. Patterson and the other 11 people who were killed were all males.

Another victim included an elderly woman, who was shot in the ankle.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said that while the murders are not “acceptable,” the city’s crime and murder rate are lower overall.

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“While to date we’ve had significantly fewer shootings and significantly fewer murders this year, there’s more work to be done and we won’t rest until everyone in Chicago enjoys the same sense of safety,” McCarthy told NBC.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that as of Saturday, 54 of the shootings already took place.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Sunday that he will alter a bill that ends the state’s ban on carrying concealed firearms.

“That ought to be an alarm bell to all of us that we need strong laws that protect the public safety, especially when it comes to guns,” he said on Sunday, according to Fox News. “It’s time to end the violence.”

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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