60 Shot, 5 Fatally Over 4th of July Weekend in C
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Over 4th of July Weekend in Chicago
More than 60 people were shot, including five fatally, in what Chicago police described as a better-than-expected holiday weekend.
Matt Finn reported this morning from Chicago, where police superintendent Eddie Johnson touted "progress."
Johnson said that in 2014, there were 16 killed on Fourth of July weekend
"We're making progress. It's not success yet, but this goes a long way to letting everyone know that we are focusing on the right individuals," said Johnson, referring to recent arrests of dozens of suspected gangsters.
Chicago police say the vast majority of shootings in the city this year can be traced back to known gang members.
Finn noted that someone is shot in Chicago every two hours at the current rate, with someone being murdered every 10 to 13 hours.
He said police "stop-and-frisks" are down 90 percent this year, with officers saying they're afraid of lawsuits, being labeled racist or appearing in online videos.
Two children were among those shot Monday as the violence surged from noon on July 4th through early Tuesday morning.
A five-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy were both hit in the leg Monday night while playing with other children on the city's South Side.
A gunman suddenly opened fire on the crowd of people, police said, in what was described as a gang-related attack.
WGN reported that the Fourth of July weekend shootings increased from last year, but with fewer fatalities.
The Chicago Tribune, which tracks the homicides in the city, says 329 people have been murdered this year, compared to 490 in all of 2015