(The Center Square) – More federal resources are being requested by the city of Chicago to address the trends of violent crime in the city.
Last weekend, more than 100 people were shot and 19 killed in violence across the city. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he requested federal assistance last month.
“I want to announce that I have personally taken steps to ensure that our city is getting all of the resources that it needs from the federal government,” Johnson said. “Prior to this weekend, my administration took the necessary steps to prepare for what has been historically violent weekends.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said it was his letter that got the feds attention.
“Actually, it took a letter from the governor in order to kick that off so I was asked by the city of Chicago to write the letter for them and we did, we sent that to the White House and the federal government,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event Tuesday.
Some recent shootings in Chicago are categorized as mass shootings.
“So, remember the mass shooting that happened in Highland Park and all the services that they got, that’s what we’re asking for,” Johnson said.
Pritzker agreed the same level of response Highland Park received two years ago after an Independence Day mass shooting should go to Chicago as well.
“We also need a lot of interdiction on the many guns that are coming over the border into Illinois from states that have really lax gun laws,” Pritzker said. “We need more enforcement from the federal government.”
Johnson said the services they’re looking for include victims support services.
