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Two-year-old boy killed in Chicago shooting caught on Facebook Live video Two-year-old boy killed in Chicago shooting caught on Facebook Live video
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A two-year-old toddler and an 11-year-old girl were shot and killed in separate incidents in Chicago during the past week, little more than a month removed from the city’s deadliest year in nearly two decades.A two-year-old toddler and an 11-year-old girl were shot and killed in separate incidents in Chicago during the past week, little more than a month removed from the city’s deadliest year in nearly two decades.
The incident that killed two-year-old Lavontay White Jr also killed a man riding in the passenger seat and left a pregnant woman, 20, in fair condition after being struck in the stomach. Both the woman and her unborn child are expected to survive.The incident that killed two-year-old Lavontay White Jr also killed a man riding in the passenger seat and left a pregnant woman, 20, in fair condition after being struck in the stomach. Both the woman and her unborn child are expected to survive.
“When innocent children are caught in the crossfire of gun violence and young people have their childhood stolen by stray bullets, our consciences are shaken and our hearts are broken,” said Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. “When innocent children are caught in the crossfire of gun violence and young people have their childhood stolen by stray bullets, our consciences are shaken and our hearts are broken,” said Chicago’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel.
At the time of the shooting on Tuesday, the woman was in the driver’s seat of the car and live-streaming on Facebook as she sang along to the car radio. Disturbing video of the shooting shows the camera shake as shots ring out, the woman bolting out the door and running along a fence line before the video cuts off.At the time of the shooting on Tuesday, the woman was in the driver’s seat of the car and live-streaming on Facebook as she sang along to the car radio. Disturbing video of the shooting shows the camera shake as shots ring out, the woman bolting out the door and running along a fence line before the video cuts off.
“Any time you can bring attention to the violence that’s happening in Chicago, that’s a good thing,” said Pastor Corey Brooks, who runs New Beginnings church on the city’s south side. “It’s unfortunate, however, that it takes a two-year-old baby being shot and killed to bring that attention. The number of murders we’ve had and the increase in the gun violence that we’ve experienced should be enough in and of itself, but apparently it’s not.”“Any time you can bring attention to the violence that’s happening in Chicago, that’s a good thing,” said Pastor Corey Brooks, who runs New Beginnings church on the city’s south side. “It’s unfortunate, however, that it takes a two-year-old baby being shot and killed to bring that attention. The number of murders we’ve had and the increase in the gun violence that we’ve experienced should be enough in and of itself, but apparently it’s not.”
Brooks’s church is just a couple blocks from where, on Saturday, 11-year-old Takiya Holmes was also struck by stray gunfire; she died several days later. A suspect, Antwan Jones, has since been taken into custody and has cooperated with police, according to officials. Brooks’s church is just a couple of blocks from where, on Saturday, 11-year-old Takiya Holmes was also struck by stray gunfire; she died several days later. A suspect, Antwan Jones, has since been taken into custody and has cooperated with police, according to officials.
In White’s case, police said the man in the passenger seat, who has not yet been identified, was believed to be the intended target of the shooting. No arrests have been made.In White’s case, police said the man in the passenger seat, who has not yet been identified, was believed to be the intended target of the shooting. No arrests have been made.
Chicago ended 2016 with more than 760 murders, a 59% increase over the total for 2015. It was the city’s deadliest year since the mid-1990s, with an average of nearly 10 shooting incidents a day.Chicago ended 2016 with more than 760 murders, a 59% increase over the total for 2015. It was the city’s deadliest year since the mid-1990s, with an average of nearly 10 shooting incidents a day.
Donald Trump campaigned hard on the image of Chicago as a violent wasteland during the election and has brought that attitude with him to the White House. A few days after his inauguration, Trump tweeted that he would “send in the Feds” if rates did not come down soon, although it was unclear exactly what Trump meant by that.Donald Trump campaigned hard on the image of Chicago as a violent wasteland during the election and has brought that attitude with him to the White House. A few days after his inauguration, Trump tweeted that he would “send in the Feds” if rates did not come down soon, although it was unclear exactly what Trump meant by that.
The president was likely responding to a report by the Chicago Tribune that shooting rates though the first few weeks January were already outpacing that of 2016. “What we’ve been doing isn’t working, so we have to try something now,” Brooks said. “But if that means bringing on the National Guard, I’m definitely not for that.” The president was probably responding to a report by the Chicago Tribune that shooting rates though the first few weeks of January were already outpacing that of 2016. “What we’ve been doing isn’t working, so we have to try something now,” Brooks said. “But if that means bringing on the national guard, I’m definitely not for that.”
Rachel Williams, Takiya’s older cousin, said what the city needs is jobs and programs to “intervene and get to the violence before the point that we have shootings”. Williams said it’s important to support not just victims and their families but also violent offenders, and to understand the circumstances that create them. “Before the perpetrator pulled the trigger, they were also the victim of some kind of violence, so we need to address that as well.” Rachel Williams, Takiya’s older cousin, said what the city needs is jobs and programs to “intervene and get to the violence before the point that we have shootings”. Williams said it was important to support not just victims and their families but also violent offenders, and to understand the circumstances that create them. “Before the perpetrator pulled the trigger, they were also the victim of some kind of violence, so we need to address that as well.”