7 killed and dozens injured following series of weekend shootings in
Chicago
[June 22, 2026]
CHICAGO (AP) — A spate of shootings in Chicago has led to
at least seven deaths and 38 injuries since Friday evening, police say,
prompting President Donald Trump to renew his call for a military
intervention in the nation's third-largest city.
“Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a
safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!”
Trump said in a Sunday morning Truth Social post.
The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic
presidential contender who has repeatedly rebuffed Trump's calls for a
military intervention, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. Under Trump, National Guard troops have been deployed on
crime-fighting missions in Democrat-led cities including New Orleans,
Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee.
While Chicago Police Department data shows a slight uptick in shooting
incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates
have generally dropped in the city over the past few years, in parallel
with national trends.
Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicate there have
been at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those
killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday, an
18-year-old shot in the armpit Saturday evening and a 50-year-old shot
in the chest Friday.
At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot
wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled up and two people inside
started shooting, police said.
The eight men and four women in the group ranged in age from 17 to 47.
They were being treated at four hospitals. Police said another man
suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment.
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The Chicago city skyline is seen Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Erin
Hooley, File)
That shooting happened on Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the
end of slavery in the U.S. Earlier Friday, former President Barack
Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first
visitors to his presidential center on the South Side.
“What should have been a night of celebration and community
reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of
violence,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an X post Saturday. “My
thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”
“Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be
held accountable," he said.
Other major U.S. cities experienced gun-related violence over the
weekend. In Philadelphia, two people were killed and two others
wounded following a shooting early Sunday morning, according to
Fox-29. In Cincinnati, a shooting killed three people Saturday
evening, WLWT reported. And police in Kansas City, Missouri say they
are investigating a shooting Friday evening that left one dead and
five wounded.
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