Chicago’s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, had an odd explanation for the gun violence gripping the city Sunday, suggesting that lax gun laws and coronavirus-related lockdowns were largely to blame for the spike in shootings, which has left at least four children dead and dozens of Chicago residents wounded.
Speaking to a press conference, Lightfoot said the violence problem is “complicated,” according to the Washington Examiner.
“That’s a complicated question,” Lightfoot told media. “We have way too many guns on the streets.”
“Lightfoot also suggested that the coronavirus shutdowns that kept people inside for months played a role in creating a ‘perfect storm’ while also pointing out the death of George Floyd as an event that sparked anger in the community,” the Examiner reported.
That “perfect storm” is responsible for a nearly record-breaking streak of violence in the city. As of late June, “329 people have been killed in Chicago, an increase of about 34% from the 246 homicides during the same period last year, according to police. Shootings in that period rose by about 42%, from 978 in 2019 to 1,384 in 2020,” NBC Chicago reports. Crime, overall, is down by 9%. – READ MORE
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