Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

After Bloody Weekend, Rahm Says Chicagoans Need to 'Secure Our Streets'

By Ted Cox | May 26, 2015 3:50pm
 Backed by Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, Mayor Rahm Emanuel called for more community involvement and stronger gun laws to combat street violence.
Backed by Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, Mayor Rahm Emanuel called for more community involvement and stronger gun laws to combat street violence.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Ted Cox

DOWNTOWN — Coming off a Memorial Day weekend that saw 12 killed and at least 41 wounded in shootings across the city, the mayor called for more community involvement and stronger gun laws to stem the tide of street violence.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said it had tarnished the kickoff weekend for the second annual Summer of Faith and Action, but nonetheless that sort of community involvement was critical to combat street violence. He cited a Resurrection Project event in Pilsen in which police officers played basketball with neighborhood kids.

"That's what we want to see throughout the City of Chicago," Emanuel said, "because this is not just the job of the Police Department.

Ted Cox discusses the mayor's remarks:

"It's the job of all of us, coming together as neighborhoods and communities, to secure our streets," he added, repeating his call for tougher state gun laws. "If we're gonna see the type of safety and security we want to see, I can't implore enough that we deal with both tighter restrictions on access to guns and stiffer penalties for those who use guns.

"It's not just about how many police you have," Emanuel added. "It's about the quantity of guns that are on the street."

The mayor made the remarks at an impromptu news conference following a Police Department award ceremony at the Hyatt Regency also attended by Police Supt. Garry McCarthy.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: