© 2024 Peoria Public Radio
A joint service of Bradley University and Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

12 people fatally shot in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend

Twelve people were killed and more than 40 more were wounded in shootings in Chicago during the Memorial Day long weekend.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office on Tuesday confirmed the 12 deaths. Police say the spate of gunfire injured dozens more, including a 4-year-old girl who was shot in the head at about 8 p.m. Friday on the city's South Side.  

Chicago has seen similar spikes of violence on previous Memorial Day weekends. It is also the start of a season when the numbers of homicides typically climb. Police have in recent years responded by flooding the streets with officers working overtime to combat the violence.  

Department statistics show that as of mid-May there were 133 homicides in Chicago - 19 more than in the same period last year. 

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.