Law enforcement is investigating a mass shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in Austin, Chicago, according to Fox 32 Chicago.
The attack reportedly occurred during a memorial honoring someone killed four years ago in a traffic accident, according to the same media outlet. A verbal argument then ensued, followed by multiple shooter discharges.
A 25-year-old woman died after being transported to hospital, according to police sources picked up by Sky News. Six other people were injured and had to be taken to medical institutions, one of them is in critical condition.
Crime in Chicago
Lori Lightfoot's defeat in the mayoral election was driven primarily by recorded crime. So much so, that citizens came within thousands of votes of electing Paul Vallas as her successor, someone with a discourse too tough on insecurity by Chicago standards. They eventually settled on Brandon Johnson, who supports investing in mental health treatment, affordable housing and jobs for young people, rather than policing and incarceration.
It turns out that Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. In 2022, it had a crime rate of 3,926 per 100,000 inhabitants, 67% higher than the national average. While official data show that homicides dropped 14% in 2022, common assaults, violent assaults and motorized assaults saw increases of 56%, 14% and 102%, respectively.
Despite the aforementioned drop in homicides during 2022, Lightfoot's tenure has seen extremely high numbers. For example, according to Wire Points, the 2022 figure is five times that of New York and 2.5 times that of Los Angeles.
According to The New York Times, "Under Ms. Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019, homicide rates soared to generational highs, a spike that was felt most deeply in pockets of the South and West Sides that have historically been plagued by gun violence. And residents across the city say they are uneasy about an increase in burglaries, robberies, auto thefts and other property crimes, and have blamed Ms. Lightfoot."
