Chicago Records 762 Murders in 2016, Highest in 19 Years
The city of Chicago saw 762 homicides in 2016, which represents a 57% increase from last year, and the most recorded murders in close to two decades. To put the figure in perspective, that's an average of two homicides per day and more than the yearly totals of New York City and Los Angeles combined.
The statistic is shocking even for a city with a history of deep-seated gun violence. The increase in homicides from 2015 to 2016 marks the largest spike in 60 years.
The majority of the shooting incidents took place on the city's South and West sides, which are both poor, predominantly black neighborhoods. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson attributed the spike in shootings in part to the increased tension between the public and the police. In November 2015, video footage of a 2014 Chicago police shooting surfaced; the video shows a white Chicago police officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald, a young black teen, 16 times. Johnson said the video has increased anger towards police and left criminals "emboldened" to commit violent crimes.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced in September that 1,000 police officers will be added to the force over the next two years.
The statistic is shocking even for a city with a history of deep-seated gun violence. The increase in homicides from 2015 to 2016 marks the largest spike in 60 years.
The majority of the shooting incidents took place on the city's South and West sides, which are both poor, predominantly black neighborhoods. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson attributed the spike in shootings in part to the increased tension between the public and the police. In November 2015, video footage of a 2014 Chicago police shooting surfaced; the video shows a white Chicago police officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald, a young black teen, 16 times. Johnson said the video has increased anger towards police and left criminals "emboldened" to commit violent crimes.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced in September that 1,000 police officers will be added to the force over the next two years.
