John,

 

As we are all painfully aware, our city is facing major challenges around gun and gang violence. This problem is not unique to Chicago as cities all over the country, large and medium-sized, are experiencing a level of pandemic-related violence that none of us have seen in years. It impacts every one of us. If we and our children can’t feel safe on our own blocks, or in our own homes, then nothing else matters. It's all about community safety.


We know that the root cause of this violence is decades of neglect and disinvestment in Black and Brown neighborhoods that have left too many without hope. That is why I have focused on reversing these trends with real tangible investments in economic development, the creation of jobs and investment in people, especially our youth. I have been lobbying our City Council hard to pass our 2022 budget’s $1.2 billion in additional investments, much of which is targeted at supporting our most vulnerable residents and neighborhoods.


We must create real safety in our neighborhoods. It requires everyone that is part of the public safety ecosystem to pull our weight and work together. As leaders, we are accountable to residents in this most challenging moment.


You may have seen the news that earlier this week, a group of West Side aldermen and I wrote a letter to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office urging reconsideration of the decision not to bring charges in connection with a shootout that was caught on video. Three men initiated gun fire into a residence, in broad daylight. The occupants of the residence returned fire. The whole incident was captured on video, along with on-scene observations by Chicago and Oak Park police. Chicago police arrested two of the individuals who initiated the gunfire, and the third was killed at the scene. Despite this evidence, the State's Attorney’s Office declined to bring charges against anyone for any crime. The two arrested were then released back into our communities. I and many others in our communities did not understand that decision, and the aldermen and I asked the State's Attorney’s Office to reevaluate the case. 


We took this action because we know that we cannot have a city where this kind of incident happens and no one is held accountable. We fear that these individuals may go on to harm others. Residents on that block and in other neighborhoods must be able to feel safe, and feel that the criminal justice system cares about victims and residents. 


As your Mayor, I cannot and will not be silent when violence like this happens, and I will continue to push all elements of the criminal justice system to do their part to keep our residents safe and hold those committing gang and gun violence to account.


CPD Superintendent Brown and I will meet with the State's Attorney’s Office to further discuss this case and to encourage better communication between all stakeholders in the criminal justice system. 


I remain committed to continuing to work together with all the stakeholders, because we must unite and execute on a set of common values and goals to do everything in our power to hold violent actors in our community accountable and keep our streets safe. That’s what it’s going to take to create real change.


These are trying times, but I want you to know that I will not stop standing up and demanding justice and accountability for our communities. You deserve to be safe—we all do. And we’ll get there by working together every day to solve the root causes of gang and gun violence. 


Thank you for all that you do.


Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot

 


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