Authorities said at least 42 others were injured in shootings, including a 15-year-old boy who was taken to hospital in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds to the face, chest, and abdomen after getting into a verbal argument with a driver.
Chicago police said the first reported homicide of the weekend took place late Friday night, where a 41-year-old man was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body.
It comes after Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown on Friday announced the launch of a Summer Operations Center (SOC) to cut down on gun violence and help enforce pandemic-related restrictions.
Brown was cited by the Chicago Tribune as saying that the new initiative, which would see an increase in the number of police patrols, had “the goal of reducing murders and shootings this summer.”
“The SOC will be keeping an eye on the city’s network of cameras and will even add some pop-up camera areas where we anticipate there might be trouble,’’ Brown said, adding that this would better enable Chicago police to be “on the lookout for large gatherings” that are banned under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order.
“Staying in home can be difficult, and many people may want to get fresh air and exercise,” a City of Chicago COVID-19 website states. “The Order allows ‘outdoor activity,’ which includes walking, running, and biking. But the Order also bans gatherings of 10 or more people, as well as people being outdoors without observing social distancing.”
Pritzker, on April 23, announced an extension of the Illinois Stay at Home Order until the end of May, with the City of Chicago calling it “a significant action taken to protect public health.”
“Please be mindful of your neighbors and act with decency in your communities,” the City of Chicago said on its website.
