Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said cabin fever stemming from the state’s stay-at-home order contributed to the most violent Memorial Day weekend Chicago has experienced since 2015.
A total of 49 people were shot, 10 of whom died.
“The stay-at-home order did little to prevent violence particularly in parts of the West and South sides,” Brown said Tuesday. “These incidents primarily involved disputes between rival gang factions as well as clashes involving the sale of illegal drugs.”
Police issued about 300 dispersal orders to crowds each day of the holiday weekend, Brown said.
The crowding brings increased risk of virus transmission as well as injury or death should gunfire erupt in a congested area, he said.
“The effects of the coronavirus also go beyond hospitalizations, people are feeling restless after being cooped up for weeks,” Brown said.
Brown acknowledged the department did not, as has been the case in years past, send out 1,000 extra officers to patrol the streets over the weekend.
“We had several hundred that were dedicated and coordinated a little bit better,” he said.
A total of 216 guns were recovered over the weekend, 68 more than last year. And 86 people were arrested for gun offenses, Brown said.
“This was a challenging weekend, but we are not shaken. We are not going to give up on our city. Our officers are brave, courageous, dedicated men and women who are risking their lives both with exposure to COVID and confronting violent offenders,” Brown said.
He noted more officers will be on the streets over summer weekends, including in prominent spots like on the CTA and along the lakefront.
Chief of Operations Fred Waller said police are implementing a “corridor strategy” that will place cops at highly visible locations on main streets around city this summer.
“The idea is that would-be offenders will see marked CPD vehicles as they enter a residential area and think twice,” Waller said. “If offenders go through with a criminal act, our officers will be there waiting for them as they attempt to flee.”
