A series of shootings in Chicago since Friday evening has resulted in seven fatalities and 38 injuries, according to police. President Donald Trump has called for military intervention to address the situation. Trump posted on Truth Social, urging Governor JB Pritzker to seek federal assistance, promising to transform Chicago within a year.
Governor Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has consistently opposed Trump’s proposals for military intervention. His office has not yet commented on the recent remarks.
Previously, under Trump’s administration, National Guard troops were deployed to Democrat-led cities such as New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Memphis for crime-fighting missions. Although Chicago Police Department records indicate a minor increase in shootings compared to last year, overall violent crime rates have decreased in the city, in line with national trends.
Since 5 p.m. Friday, preliminary reports from Chicago police reveal at least two dozen shooting incidents. Victims include a 21-year-old male shot in the chest on Sunday, an 18-year-old male shot in the armpit Saturday evening, and a 50-year-old male shot in the chest on Friday.
On Friday evening, gunfire erupted on a Chicago street, injuring at least 12 people when shooters inside an SUV targeted a crowd. The injured, aged 17 to 47, were treated at four hospitals. Another victim declined medical treatment. This incident occurred on Juneteenth, a holiday marking the end of slavery in the U.S.
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama opened his presidential center to its first guests in Chicago’s South Side earlier that day. Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the violence in a social media post, expressing support for the victims. He stressed that violence has no place in the city and vowed accountability for those responsible.
Other major cities in the U.S. also faced gun-related violence over the weekend. In Philadelphia, two were killed and two injured on Sunday morning. A shooting in Cincinnati left three dead on Saturday evening. Kansas City authorities are investigating an incident from Friday night that killed one and injured five.
Journalist Jack Brook contributed further reporting from New Orleans.