Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle called for an “immediate and urgent response to the violence” after Nov. 9 shootings in Chicago's Hyde Park. | facebook.com/chicagohydepark
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle called for an “immediate and urgent response to the violence” after Nov. 9 shootings in Chicago's Hyde Park. | facebook.com/chicagohydepark
Community leaders call on the City of Chicago to take action after a 24-year-old was shot and killed during an attempted armed robbery on Nov. 9 in the Hyde Park neighborhood, and a second man came under fire in the area the same day in an unrelated incident..
The University of Chicago graduate was fatally shot when a man got out of a vehicle and demanded the student's property at gunpoint before firing. In the second incident that same day, congressional candidate Jahmal Cole was fired at but suffered only minor injuries from diving under a vehicle for cover, according to NBC5 Chicago.
Cole wrote on Instagram that he wasn't sure whether he was the intended target of the shooting or not, but "regardless, this is unacceptable and the people of the First District deserve better."
"After violent Tuesday in Hyde Park, local resident @ToniPreckwinkle is out with a press release calling for something to be done," CWB Chicago wrote in a Nov. 10 tweet. "The press release does not mention the concepts of arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating violent criminals."
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle called for an “immediate and urgent response to the violence” as well as a long-term plan to address those root causes of violence in a statement.
“In the weeks to come, I have made a personal commitment to continue and also revisit my outreach to relevant stakeholders to bring everyone together and establish real-world results so we can collectively become a shining example of what’s possible when all community and civic leaders, elected officials, and members of the business community join to appropriately address this public health crisis," she said in the statement.
Preckwinkle isn't alone in urging action. Rep. Dan Caulkins issued a request to Gov. J.B. Pritzker to meet with the General Assembly to address the issue, the Chambana Sun reported.
“So, Governor Pritzker, you really want to work on preventing violence? Let’s get together in the general assembly,” Caulkins said in a Facebook video. "Let’s do what the system is designed to do. I have (House Bills) 4190 and 4191 sitting on the books. Let’s call those bills. Let’s have that discussion.
Alerts Sign-up