Chicago sees record-breaking violence over Memorial Day weekend

CHICAGO - Despite new city and police leadership, Chicago just experienced its most violent Memorial Day weekend on record.

"Our public safety agencies have plans in place this weekend and in summer months to ensure that everyone can enjoy our city in peace," Mayor Brandon Johnson had said last week.

During the first major test, those plans fell far short.

Fifty-three shooting victims and 12 murders in Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend, which is the worst to date.

Most of the violence was concentrated on the city’s West Side.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE

"Young people are shot. Two 2-year-olds was riddled by gunfire this weekend. Why don't we take this seriously?" asked Ja’Mal Green, a community activist and former mayoral candidate.

Chaos kicked off on Friday, with a North Avenue Beach fight that resulted in shots fired and part of the beach being closed.

Governor JB Pritzker's office was promoting a new "peacekeeper" initiative, sending 30 social workers into the city’s neighborhoods to de-escalate conflict. It’s a program that’s costing taxpayers nearly a million dollars through the end of June.

The state couldn't tell FOX 32 Chicago where the peacekeepers were deployed. Gunshots rang out in nearly every corner of the city this weekend.

"Our city is well prepared for Memorial Day," Mayor Johnson said last week.

That was before the violent weekend.

Mayor Johnson released a statement on Tuesday, reading in part:

"The violence our city experienced this weekend is intolerable... I am committed to leveraging every single resource at our disposal to protect every single life in our city.

This holiday weekend, thousands of police officers, first responders, city workers, business leaders, organizers, faith leaders, and violence interrupters tirelessly dedicated themselves to keeping Chicago safe...the work performed by these individuals this weekend is the foundation for how we will ultimately secure safety together."