CHICAGO, IL – CBS 2 Chicago reports that at least 50 people were shot in the city between Friday evening and Sunday evening, including two police officers. Ten of those victims have died, including a suspect shot by another police officer.
Five of the shooting victims were shot while eating pancakes outdoors at Lumes Pancake House. According to ABC 7 Eyewitness News, gunmen opened fire at approximately 1:30pm on Sunday.
The restaurant’s busiest time is Sunday afternoons, between 12:00pm and 2:00pm. This is the time frame following the end of most church services in the city. Very popular among church-goers, the restaurant uses a tent on Sundays to provide more outdoor seating after weekly services.
At Least 50 People Shot, 10 Killed In Weekend Gun Violence In Chicago https://t.co/fi3gLzeivZ pic.twitter.com/yANdx7wY3g
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) August 31, 2020
Witnesses told police that several men hopped out of a white SUV that pulled up at the restaurant, and began targeting one man in particular. This victim, hit by many bullets, died at the scene. The other victims injured by the stray bullets, were all taken to local hospitals, and are reported to be in stable condition.
In a sad commentary which sums up city residents’ harsh reality, Trevaugh Roberson, cousin of the deceased victim told Eyewitness News:
“I won’t lie to you, it’s kind of normal for me. But for it to hit home, you know, it’s always that much worse. Of course I’m affected by it, yeah. For me, personally, this goes on all day, everyday. Everybody knows this already. I just hope for better days.”
No arrests have been made in this open case.
The Chicago Sun-Times tallied last weekend’s violence up at 66 shootings, with five victims dead. The weekend before that saw 64 people shot, with seven of them dead, including a 12-year-old boy.
Raul Roberto Montes, a community activist, told the Sun-Times in another article:
“This mayor, Lori Lightfoot, she can’t control the city. It’s out of hand. We need the National Guard to help out the police.”
Fellow community activist, Frank Coconate, laments:
“These police are on their own out there, and it’s despicable what’s going on in this city … We’re a laughingstock in the nation right now.”
These and a group of other activists, along with several city aldermen, seek to appeal to Governor J. B. Pritzker to declare a state of emergency in Chicago. They want him to call up the National Guard to address the surge in an already out-of-control violence problem.
In addition to general violence, Chicago police must also deal with being attacked by increasingly brazen Black Lives Matter demonstrators in recent weeks. Looting and vandalism has also destroyed parts of the city.
The aldermen (Alderwoman Leslie Hairston, Alderman Anthony Beale, Alderman Raymond Lopez, and Alderman Anthony Napolitano) filed a request for a special city council meeting, held on Friday, August 21. The council is currently adjourned for the month of August, but the aldermen employed a special provision in state law to call for the assembly.
BLOODY WEEKEND for Black Men in Big Cities.
NYC-At least 46 shot this weekend; 5 Killed, incl a young mother of 3.
CHICAGO-10 Black men killed, 44 more shot, incl 2 Chicago cops & 15-year old boy.
ST LOUIS-2 Black cops shot, one in critical condition.
Where’s @BlackLivesMatter?— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) August 31, 2020
Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused the four alderman of “grandstanding,” for the media, and indicated that they have a “history” of doing so.
Mayor Lightfoot commented:
“We need to make sure we are working together to find common ground. This isn’t the way you get things done. It’s quite foolish and it’s unfortunate that they are grandstanding again on an issue that’s so important.”
Alderman Beale responded to comments by saying:
“Things are happening in the city that are really detrimental to the day to day operations, and we can’t get answers to them, and when we ask the questions we get shut down and accused of grandstanding.”
Alderman Napolitano also added:
“All I’m asking for is the conversation. I have zero to gain by grandstanding.”
Alderman Lopez opened the special city council meeting by stating:
“We are here because we have not had a public discussion on what the plan is for the city, this is not personal to anyone in the room, but it is personal for everyone who calls themselves a Chicagoan trying to save their city.”
NPR News on WBEZ Chicago detailed the three items brought up for discussion at the special meeting (held virtually), by the four aldermen. They were as follows:
- A resolution calling on Governor Pritzker to declare an official state of emergency, and call up the National Guard to support and assist the Chicago Police on the streets.
- A resolution calling for the budget committee to hold monthly public safety meetings, to account for how the $1.7 billion police budget is being allocated.
- A resolution calling for the Cook County Public Safety Department to report regularly on their handling of the summer surge of violence.
The council voted down the National Guard resolution 30-17, opting instead to send it to committee for further eventual discussion. The council has 50 aldermen, but three of the aldermen were not present for the assembly. One was in a conflicting press conference, one was on a trip, and one was playing golf.
Say their names @LoriLightfoot. At least 10 people were killed and another 45 wounded in shootings over the weekend in Chicago.
Overall, at least 216 people have been killed and 1,156 wounded on weekends alone since the start of the year. https://t.co/Qx0kgPjNVk
— MRCTV (@mrctv) August 31, 2020
The second resolution was also sent to committee, while the third resolution was never addressed. Mayor Lightfoot adjourned the meeting after the second vote, despite appeals by the four aldermen to continue.
The feed was cut while Alderman Beale was making his plea.
Mayor Lightfoot appeared on CNN’s State of the Union last month, discussing her city’s high murder and gun violence rates.
She blamed other states for the problems in Chicago, saying:
“We are being inundated with guns from states that have virtually no gun control, no background checks, no ban on assault weapons — that is hurting cities like Chicago.”
Chicago Mayor Lightfoot: “We are being inundated with guns from states that have virtually no gun control, no background checks, no ban on assault weapons — that is hurting cities like Chicago.” pic.twitter.com/vGLKClYHYW
— The Hill (@thehill) July 26, 2020
As the National Review explains, there is no such state in the Union with “virtually no gun control,” or “no background checks.”
All LEGAL gun dealers have been required to be federally licensed since the Gun Control Act of 1968. Background checks are required for gun sales in every state, as a federal licensee requirement. State laws can be more restrictive that federal law, but being less restrictive does not exempt dealers or buyers from federal law.
Handguns are also used to commit the overwhelming majority of gun related violence in Chicago, making the assault weapons statement moot.
The Mayor fails to acknowledge that criminals do not follow laws. Therefore, it does not appear likely that she will prioritize a crackdown on criminal activity, including illegal gun sales and theft in her city.
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