Nearly a thousand people have been struck by bullets so far this year in Chicago, with murders and shootings so far outpacing 2020, while police also report a considerable drop in carjackings reported in the Windy City, officials recently announced.
There were 832 shootings in Chicago as of April 30, from which 997 people were wounded, Chicago Police said in announcing the monthly crime statistics for the city. The year-to-date figures show a stark increase compared to the same time last year, when 718 people were struck during 623 shootings, police said Saturday.
And 187 people were killed from Jan. 1 to April 30, compared to the 156 victims reported slain during the same time frame year-over-year.
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Chicago police officers put up crime scene tape on Feb. 28, 2020. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/TNS/ABACAPRESS.COM)
(John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/TNS/ABACAPRESS.COM)
Meanwhile, the number of murders reported in April is actually lower than in April 2020, with 53 compared to last year’s 58. There were 251 shootings last month, with 299 victims –up from the 204 shootings and 225 people wounded in April 2020, police said.
The Windy City has seen an overall drop in its most serious crime offenses, the department said.
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Chicago Police have taken more than 3,600 guns, including 150 assault weapons, off the streets so far this year, authorities said.
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 15: Chicago Police officers guard the front entrance the their headquarters building during a rally on April 15, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Amid renewed efforts toward combatting carjacking, police reported a more than 55% drop in vehicular hijackings since January, when concerns were first raised about a reported surge.
Police Superintendent David Brown said carjackings “remain a concern, but Chicago is trending in the right direction.”
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“We need to recognize this progress and continue to work to improve in every area,” Brown said in a prepared statement. “The people of Chicago deserve nothing less than a world-class police department that is constantly looking to make the city a safer place.”
As part of the department’s efforts to thwart carjackings in the city, CPD bolstered its task force dedicated to fighting that area of crime and has begun working with local, state and federal partners.