2021 ends as Chicago's deadliest year in a quarter century

CHICAGO – The twelvemonth of 2021 ended arsenic 1 of the astir convulsive connected grounds successful Chicago, arsenic a emergence successful the fig of shootings near much radical dormant than successful immoderate azygous twelvemonth successful a 4th century, according to statistic released by the constabulary section connected Saturday.

According to the department, 2021 ended with 797 homicides. That is 25 much than were recorded 2020, 299 much than successful 2019 and the astir since 1996. And determination were 3,561 shooting incidents successful 2021, which is conscionable implicit 300 much than were recorded successful 2020 and a staggering 1,415 much shooting incidents than were recorded successful the metropolis successful 2019.

Other cities person besides seen an summation successful the fig of homicides. But Chicago, arsenic it has successful erstwhile years, ended 2021 with much homicides than immoderate different metropolis successful the United States, including New York and Los Angeles, some of which had recorded astatine slightest 300 less homicides than Chicago for the twelvemonth arsenic of precocious December, according to constabulary information from those cities.

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“We each cognize this has been a challenging twelvemonth present successful the metropolis of Chicago,” Police Superintendent David Brown told reporters astatine a quality conference earlier this week. “Too galore families are reeling from the nonaccomplishment of (loved) ones owed to senseless weapon violence.”

Brown said the bulk of the homicides are the effect of conflicts betwixt rival gangs.

He has tried to item immoderate affirmative statistic erstwhile discussing the monthly transgression figures and helium continued to bash truthful with the merchandise of the end-of-the-year statistics.

He said, for example, that the section cleared 400 homicides — a full that was higher than successful immoderate twelvemonth successful astir 2 decades. Saturday's quality merchandise did not specify however galore of those cleared homicides were committed successful erstwhile years but reported that the clearance complaint for the killings was conscionable nether 50%.

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The department, which says it takes much amerciable weapons disconnected the thoroughfare than immoderate different section constabulary unit successful the United States, said that it took a grounds 12,088 guns disconnected the thoroughfare successful 2021. That full coincided with the instauration of a Gun Investigations Team that has focused connected interrupting the travel of amerciable guns into the city.

Brown, who came nether scrutiny by immoderate members of the City Council and others arsenic the decease toll mounted, said that helium hopes to summation the fig of detectives investigating convulsive crimes from 1,100 to 1,300 during the archetypal fewer months of this year. And helium said his extremity is to trim the caseload for detectives from astir 5 to 3 cases per detective.

He besides said the section hopes to enlistee much caller officers this year, and said, “There volition beryllium much officers connected the street, not conscionable successful patrol cars oregon down desks, to interact with each Chicagoans.”

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