More than 50 people were shot, and seven were killed, in Chicago over the Labor Day weekend, according to police.
The violence comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to send the National Guard to the city. In a Monday Truth Social post, he criticized the situation, saying crime “is totally out of control in Chicago.”
Newsweek has reached out to the office of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump has suggested sending the military to Chicago, New York, Baltimore, and other Democratic-run cities to “clean up the crime,” even though city leaders oppose the idea. His comments follow an executive order last month that federalized police and sent the National Guard to Washington, D.C.
The president has also criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. He called Pritzker “incompetent” and said Johnson is “no better.”
In response to these threats, Mayor Johnson signed an executive order on Saturday directing city agencies and law enforcement not to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. He cited “escalating threats from the federal government.” This conflict could set an example for how Democratic-led cities deal with federal involvement in the future.
What To Know
Chicago experienced at least 52 shootings and seven deaths over the weekend in several neighborhoods.
This is more than last year’s Labor Day weekend, when five people were killed and 31 were injured, according to ABC7 Chicago. However, the number of deaths is lower than in 2023, when ten people died, and in 2022, when eight were killed, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Injuries were also higher in 2022, with 56 reported, compared to 34 in 2023.
This year, a 25-year-old woman was shot and killed late Friday night in South Shore inside an apartment on South Essex Avenue, ABC7 Chicago reports. The next morning in East Garfield Park, a 29-year-old man was killed after a gunman opened fire from a dark SUV. Later Saturday, a 43-year-old woman was shot in Altgeld Gardens, and early Sunday a 33-year-old man was fatally shot in Englewood during an argument, police said.
Several mass shootings also contributed to the high numbers of injuries. In Bronzeville, at least seven people were wounded in a drive-by attack late Saturday on South State Street. Hours later in Humboldt Park, four more were shot, and in Pilsen, a 46-year-old man died while two others were injured in another shooting.
Teenagers were among the victims. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the arm and hand in Lawndale on Sunday and is in good condition, police said. Later, five people were hurt, including a 17-year-old boy in critical condition, during gunfire at a large gathering near Ellis Park. Police recovered four guns and detained a person of interest at the scene.
Despite the weekend violence, year-to-date crime statistics released by Mayor Johnson’s office show violent crime is down 21.6 percent, and homicides have fallen by 32.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration appears to be preparing for a possible military deployment to Chicago.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently asked Naval Station Great Lakes, a nearby military base, for support in potential immigration enforcement. A base spokesperson said the base had not yet received an official request to assist with a National Guard deployment.
Trump also signed an executive order creating “specialized units” within the National Guard to address urban crime.
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday, “CRIME IS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL IN CHICAGO. 6 DEAD, 24 BADLY WOUNDED, LAST WEEK ALONE!!!”
Mayor Johnson said Saturday, “We may see militarized immigration enforcement. We may also see National Guard troops. We may even see active duty military and armed vehicles in our streets. We have not called for this. Our people have not asked for this, but nevertheless, we find ourselves having to respond to this.”
Governor JB Pritzker said last week, “If this was really about fighting crime and making the streets safe, what possible justification could the White House have for planning such an exceptional action without any conversations or consultations with the governor, the mayor, or the police?”
Vice President JD Vance said Thursday in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, “We’re not too far from Chicago. Chicago has had a lot of crime problems. Why is it that you have mayors and governors who are angrier about Donald Trump offering to help them than they are about the fact that their own residents are being carjacked and murdered in the streets? It doesn’t make an ounce of sense.”
What Happens Next
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet announced any military deployment to Chicago or other major Democratic-run cities, including Washington, D.C.
