Despite Over 1,000 Chicago Shooting Victims and 126 Deaths in 6 Years, Only 2 Convictions

Going back to 2016, alleged shooters have been charged in just 21 of at least 212 mass shooting incidents — or less than 10 percent of the cases, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. This year’s toll through the end of July already surpasses the total number of mass shootings recorded each year between 2016 and 2019, records show. In each of the last two years, there were five attacks in which more than 10 people were shot, including a pair of shootings that each wounded 15 people. Instead of the more planned attacks that garner mass media attention and call for increased gun control, Chicago’s mass shootings are usually sporadic street crimes that center around large outdoor gatherings, making the summer months particularly dangerous.

Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said many of the mass shootings in Chicago appear to stem from disputes or arguments, though he acknowledged some are clearly gang-related. Despite the increasing number of mass-victim events, Deenihan said they aren’t prioritized over other shootings. Experts agree urban mass shootings like the ones that take place in Chicago are among the hardest cases to solve. The Chicago Police Department’s efforts to crack cases have long been hampered by its strained relationship with communities ravaged by gun violence that are over-policed and predominantly Black and Hispanic. In those areas, fear of gangs and distrust of police has created an atmosphere that discourages cooperation or snitching. In addition, an influx of high-powered weaponry has exacerbated the problem, with police recovering at least 7,289 total guns this year, up from 5,668 at the same point last year. The number of recovered assault weapons has climbed more dramatically over that same period, from 227 to 368.