Bloody Christmas Eve: 7 Shot in Chicago

Christmas Eve in Chicago was bloody – as are most evenings these days – with seven people hurt in shootings across the South Side and West Side of the city. The evening led off with a 37-year-old man taking fire to the leg and back in the South Side. At 7:30 p.m., a male opened fire in the Far South Side, hitting four other males; all four were taken to the hospital in serious or critical condition. A few hours later, a 19-year-old was shot in the head on the West side. A few hours after that, a 21-year-old took a bullet during an attempted robbery on the South Side. The assailants attempted to rob him while he sat in his car.

Chicago is one of the most heavily gun controlled cities in the nation. The state of Illinois has an all-out ban on concealed weapons. All firearms in the city of Chicago are registered. The permit to purchase must be renewed every three years at a cost of $100. Chicago has an assault weapons ban and a ban on magazines that carry 10 rounds. In November, shootings jumped 49 percent over the prior year. Nonetheless, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is calling for even more gun control.