More than 10,000 guns recovered off Chicago's streets in 2022: police

CHICAGO - Chicago police have crossed the 10,000 gun milestone in their effort to remove illegal firearms off city streets.

"For the year, officers have recovered 10,126 guns. Just for 2022," said Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown during his weekly crime update.

But just how many illegal guns remain on the streets of Chicago is a question no individual or agency can answer accurately, at least with any measure of specificity.

One top source tells FOX 32 while it's still an impressive feat, removing 10,000 guns is likely just a small sliver of the firearms still out there.

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Brown said CPD crossed the 10,000 mark just this month, with 307 guns recovered in the first 10 days of October, including 111 over marathon weekend.

"Extraordinary effort," he said. "Getting guns off the street is about keeping people safe, and it's our top priority."

But a top law enforcement source says the actual number of illegal firearms in Chicago — where more illegal guns are reportedly recovered than LA and New York Combined — likely exceeds half a million, and that's a conservative estimate.

If accurate, that means 98 percent are still out there, with more trickling in every day.

In his weekly update, Superintendent Brown also said homicides and shootings are each down 20 percent compared to last year's totals through the same weekend.