We’ve repeatedly reported about the deadly violence in Chicago. With murders up 50 percent over last year and seemingly no end in sight, police are now turning their efforts toward an actual solution—arresting criminals.
“These are people that are choosing this lifestyle,” says Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, referring to the gang members who regularly cycle in and out of prison. “So imagine if we could eliminate half of those people, where our crime, gun violence, would be in the city of Chicago.”
Police are hoping to accomplish that through a series of raids aimed at sweeping up repeat offenders. A raid last Friday netted 101 arrests—and 61 of those individuals were documented gang members. They’re some of the 1,400 bad guys Johnson says are driving violence in the Windy City. “Until we let them know that we’re serious about it, they’re going to continue to do what they do,” Johnson added.
