Praying, marching and cooking out: Violence prevention workers fan out for Memorial Day as shootings continue to rise in Chicago

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | May 28, 2021 | By Sophie Sherry

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Cook-outs, prayer circles, marches, pony rides.

As police step up patrols in Chicago’s hot spots to contain violence this holiday weekend, community workers will fan out to some of the same places to draw people out of the line of fire.

Shootings are up 36% this year compared to the same period in 2020, according to Sun-Times data. Homicides are spiking in areas long afflicted with gun violence.

Last year, the Lightfoot administration released a report titled “Our City Our Safety” that relied heavily on violence prevention groups in the community to connect with people caught in the cycle of violence.

“Gun violence is a reflection... of a lot of things — racial and economic injustice, high incarceration rates, high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods and under-resourced schools,” said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City. “If you have those five things, that’s the perfect conditions for gun violence.”

Last weekend, at least 12 people were killed and another 42 were wounded in Chicago, the deadliest weekend so far this year.

Nearly all of the violence happened in neighborhoods on the South and West sides identified by the city last fall as “priority community areas” where police and other resources were to be boosted.

According to “Our City, Our Safety,” 15 community areas have accounted for more than 50 percent of all shootings over the last three years.

“We’re anticipating the worst (this holiday),” Bocanegra said. “But the worst ... it’s been like that for over a year already, every weekend.”

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[BipolarBob]

Last year, the Lightfoot administration released a report titled “Our City Our Safety” that relied heavily on violence prevention groups in the community to connect with people caught in the cycle of violence.

If only they had stricter gun laws . . . or a gun buyback program. And midnight basketball.

[OttawaFreeper]

Meanwhile in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, the Dakotas, Montana, most of Texas, and elsewhere with constitutional carry little or no violence is likely expected this weekend.

[oldvirginian]

“Cook-outs, prayer circles, marches, pony rides.”

Simply adding targets at the firing range.
Stupid is as stupid does.

[Dr. Ursus]

I looking for triple numbers for the holiday!

[UB355]

Meanwhile protesters are marching and chanting we don’t need no pol-lease

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“…community workers will…draw people out of the line of fire

Now I’ve heard everything.

[Maine Mariner]

‘“Gun violence is a reflection... of a lot of things — racial and economic injustice, high incarceration rates, high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods and under-resourced schools,” said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City. “If you have those five things, that’s the perfect conditions for gun violence.”’

What does Jahmal mean by under-resourced schools?
Fewer teachers to teach advanced math courses? Oh wait that is racist and elitist.

[Colt1851Navy]

The over and under murder number should be about eighteen or twenty.

[Magnum44]

Violence prevention worker?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“[Gun violence is caused by]…racial and economic injustice, high incarceration rates, high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods and under-resourced schools” — Jahmal Cole

If that’s true, then explain why we don’t have similar murder rates in the poor parts of Appalachia, the South and on Indian Reservations that have similar conditions. What could possibly be different?

[bert]

——Gun violence is a reflection... of a lot of things-—

Being African and refusing to assimilate

[Obadiah]

Yeah, if only they could get more midnight basketball going...

[I want the USA back]

Funny how those areas correspond to areas where Whiteness is nowhere to be seen, but the crime is still blamed on Whitey.

[Obadiah]

You are not allowed to make such postulations. You will now need to report to the nearest re-education camp to get your mind right.

[Magnatron]

Violence prevention workers…

Otherwise known as targets…

[Rummyfan]

“Gun violence is a reflection... of a lot of things — racial and economic injustice, high incarceration rates, high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods and under-resourced schools,” said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City.

BS, BS, and more BS.

[SaveFerris]

Yep

[dinodino]

You beat me too it! Everybody and his dog is on obscenely generous unemployment benefits right now. Maybe high incarceration rates are directly correlated to high criminality? I don’t know the amount of money spent on Chicago schools, but I bet it’s more than average. Finally, “racial and economic injustice?” I’d like Jahmal to explain what “racial injustice” causes people to go out and spray bullets everywhere on the weekend.

[AppyPappy]

Cookouts are basically an invitation to gang-bangers to do what they do....fire into a crowd hoping to hit one person knowing that no one will talk to the police.