In just an 18-hour period during Easter weekend, 29 people were shot in Chicago. As many Chicagoans enjoyed the beautiful weather, from late Friday until early Saturday evening, others suffered the constant raging violence too often seen in the Windy City.
Thus far, the city has suffered one killed and nearly 40 shot before noon on Easter Day.
The one shooting death occurred in the 1300 block of South Fairfield Ave., the result, police said, of an argument between teenagers, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The victim was shot in the back of the head and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Two other teens were also shot during the incident. All were treated at Mount Sinai.
Police say as many as 20 gunshots may have been exchanged during a heated argument at a house party.
While the death toll is low this year, with many hours still to go until the holiday weekend is over, more shootings are sure to come.
Despite the low death rate, the number of wounded for the holiday weekend has far exceeded that of the last three years.
Though the weekend bloodshed will continue as Sunday winds down, thus far, about 40 have been wounded compared to 33 in 2016, 31 in 2015, and 36 in 2014. But by noon on Easter Day, only one had been killed, while 3 died in 2016, 6 died in 2015, and 10 were killed in 2014.
The shootings bring the city’s violence count to 159 shot and killed, 752 wounded, and another ten murdered by other means.
While the focus has often been misplaced on the police in the Windy City, those killed in confrontations with cops is relatively low. For instance, in 2017, only four of the city’s 717 shooting deaths were at the hands of police. Thus far this year, there have been no police-involved shootings.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.