Chicago mayoral candidates call on Lightfoot to step up after violent holiday weekend

CHICAGO - After another violent holiday weekend in Chicago, candidates for mayor said Tuesday it's time to hold Lori Lightfoot accountable.

"Talk to victims and the families of victims who suffered the ultimate fate this weekend," said State Rep. Kam Buckner. "They don't feel like shootings are down."

52 people were shot over the holiday weekend, including ten people who were shot fatally. The shootings represented the most violent Memorial Day holiday weekend in five years.

There were two mass shootings in the West Side legislative district of State Rep. LaShawn Ford.

"In the areas where violence is high, you have lots of guns, lots of drugs and lotta unemployed people, and very little enforcement of the law," Ford said.

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Ford said he will soon launch his own campaign for mayor. He claims the bloodshed in his West Side district stems in part from the failure of incumbent Lightfoot to fill more than a thousand vacant police officer jobs.

Ford said more cops could quell the open and notorious drug dealing that leads to turf battles and wild shootouts.

"Lots of drug sales -- it's in plain view! Anything that's in plain view we have to make sure we shut it down. You don't see that type of behavior and criminal activity in every community," Ford said.

"I do think the mayor of Chicago has a responsibility, whether that is Rahm Emanuel or Lori Lightfoot," Buckner said.

Buckner's anti-violence plan includes bringing the police department up to full strength as soon as possible.