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More Than 100 People Shot in Chicago Over Independence Day Weekend

Chicago police investigate murder of 24-year-old man who was shot and killed on April 1, 2013 in Chicago / Getty
July 5, 2017

Over 100 people were shot in Chicago over the long Independence Day weekend and 14 of them were killed, according to statistics compiled by the Chicago Tribune.

At least 101 people were shot in total between Friday afternoon and early Wednesday. By far the deadliest night was the Fourth of July itself. Almost half of the weekend shootings, 41, occurred in the 12 hours between 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. The youngest victim was only 13 years old.

It is difficult to compare 2017's statistics to previous years given that July 4th fell on a Tuesday, making it a four-day weekend. But the Tribune found that on the last four-day weekend in 2013, at least 74 people were shot and 12 were killed.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump tweeted that Chicago gun violence was out of control and said he would sent "federal help" to the city.

Still, gun violence in Chicago is slightly down from 2016, the most violent year on record. So far this year, 1,800 Chicagoans have been shot, compared to 2,035 at this time last year.

Chicago has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, although its most stringent gun regulations have been struck down by federal courts. Illinois is also one of the few states to require gun owners to obtain a permit before legally purchasing firearms.

Published under: Chicago , Guns , Violence