Interstate shootings in Illinois fall for third year in a row, new data shows

The number of shootings on Illinois interstates has dropped for the third straight year, according to newly-released data from state police.

By the numbers:

In 2024, Illinois recorded 89 interstate shootings, a 31% drop from 129 in 2023, according to a statement from Illinois State Police. Seventeen of those incidents resulted in injuries.

Interstate shootings in Illinois have declined each year since peaking at a record 310 incidents in 2021, police said.

  • 2024: 89 shootings, 17 injury-related;
  • 2023: 129 shootings, 37 injury-related;
  • 2022: 189 shootings, 75 injury-related;
  • 2021: 310 shootings, 133 injury-related.

Dig deeper:

Officials added that the state also saw a 7% decrease in fatal crashes, a 3% increase in illegal firearms seized and a 24% increase in vehicles recovered.

State police credited the use of law enforcement air operations and automated license plate readers as a "game changer" in identifying and tracking criminals, as well as reducing crashes.

Illinois State Police said they use their Air Ops team to help track vehicles and individuals who flee from police, reducing the risk of fatal crashes caused by high-speed pursuits. State police also use license plate readers to locate stolen vehicles and those involved in interstate shootings.

What they're saying:

"The continued dedication of resources, including personnel, license plate readers, Air Ops, K9 units, and investigations, has allowed ISP to reduce crime on interstates and make roads safer," ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said in a statement. "Although our strategies for crime reduction continue to evolve, ISP’s commitment to protecting the public remains unwavering."

One piece of the puzzle is the Air Operations Bureau. Troopers Robert Lyons and Kenan Hasanbegovic took FOX32 crews on a ride to show us how they help their colleagues on the ground.

"It's a perfect, perfect storm. We can't do it without the ground troopers, they can't do it without the LPR’S and we can't do it without the airplanes," said Trooper Lyons.

"These are unique cases. They're moving 20, 30, 40, sometimes 100 miles an hour," said Dir. Kelly, who adds they’ve had success in Cook County. "In 2023, every single homicide that occurred on the expressway here in Cook County is charged. Not just cleared, not just solved, but actually resulted in criminal charges."

What's next:

State police said they will continue to adapt their crime-fighting strategies as crime evolves, with a focus on continuing to reduce shootings and fatalities, and getting illegal guns and drugs off the streets.

The Source: Information for this story was provided in a new report released Wednesday from Illinois State Police.

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