DOWNTOWN — The long Labor Day weekend could mean another surge of violence for Chicago.
Gun violence typically increases over the city's weekends, but long, holiday weekends tend to see even more bloodshed. Over the Fourth of July weekend, for example, four people were shot dead while 62 were wounded.
The good weather that's expected this weekend could also mean the city will see more shootings than usual.
Labor Day weekend tends to see fewer shootings than other holiday weekends, but last Labor Day weekend was particularly violent: Seven peopled were killed and 39 were wounded in nearly three dozen shootings.
And this Labor Day weekend, the city will be coming off a notably bloody stretch: This August was the most violent month since October 1996. The increase in gun violence has been felt throughout the year, and Chicago has had more people murdered than New York and Los Angeles combined.
Here's a look at Labor Day weekend violence since 2010:
Police plan to beef up the usual weekend force, adding several hundred officers to the number usually deployed over the weekend, said Anthony Guglielmi, a Chicago Police spokesman. Areas with "historical conflicts" will see more "gang and gun teams" over the weekend, he said.
Officers "will be paying close attention to parks and the lakefront to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable opportunity to celebrate the unofficial end of summer with some barbecuing and family time," Guglielmi said. "We certainly will be deployed in areas that have seen historical issues."
Officers will be on foot and on bikes in "major thoroughfares," Guglielmi said, and the helicopter unit will be staffed so it can be used to help officers on the ground. The marine unit will also see an "enhanced" holiday deployment, he said.
Supt. Eddie Johnson and First Deputy John Escalante will also pair off and be on patrol over the weekend, Guglielmi said.
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