At least seven people were killed and 38 others injured following a series of shootings in Chicago since Friday evening, police said Sunday, in an outbreak of violence that included a mass shooting on Juneteenth that wounded 12 people on the city's South Side.
The Chicago Police Department reported at least two dozen separate shooting incidents between 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday morning. Those killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit Saturday evening, and a 50-year-old shot in the chest Friday. Among the most serious incidents, at least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled up and two occupants began firing, police said.
The Juneteenth shooting occurred hours after former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side. Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the violence in a post on X, writing: "What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence." He added: "Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable."
What the Left Is Saying
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the shootings or on renewed calls from President Trump for federal intervention. Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender who has repeatedly rebuffed Trump's previous calls for military deployment to Chicago, has defended his state's approach to public safety.
Chicago city officials have pointed to longer-term crime data in responding to the weekend violence. While preliminary police figures show a slight uptick in shooting incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates in Chicago have generally declined over the past several years, mirroring national trends. City leaders have emphasized that local law enforcement strategies and community programs are working to reduce violence.
What the Right Is Saying
President Trump renewed his call for military intervention in Chicago in a Sunday morning post on Truth Social. "Why isn't Governor Pritzker calling me for help," the President wrote. "I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!"
Under the current administration, National Guard troops have been deployed on crime-fighting missions in other Democrat-led cities including New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee. Congressional Republicans have echoed Trump's calls for federal action, arguing that Democratic leadership in major urban areas has failed to protect residents from violent crime.
What the Numbers Show
Chicago Police Department data indicates at least 24 separate shooting incidents occurred between 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday morning, resulting in seven fatalities and 38 injuries. The Juneteenth mass shooting on Friday evening accounted for 12 of those injured—all victims were shot by two occupants of an SUV who fired into a crowd gathered on a city street. Those wounded ranged in age from 17 to 47, with eight men and four women treated at four different hospitals.
Compared to the first half of 2025, Chicago has experienced a slight uptick in shooting incidents this year, according to preliminary police data. However, violent crime rates in the city have declined significantly over the past several years, consistent with broader national trends observed across American cities since the post-pandemic spike in homicides that peaked in 2020 and 2021.
The Bottom Line
The weekend violence in Chicago has reignited the longstanding political debate over federal intervention in urban crime. Trump has repeatedly pushed for deploying National Guard or military personnel to Democratic-led cities, while governors like Pritzker have resisted such measures as unnecessary intrusions on state authority.
Chicago officials are expected to provide more detailed information about the shootings and any arrests made as their investigations continue. The White House has not announced any formal action following Trump's Truth Social post, but the President has previously followed through on similar threats to deploy federal forces to cities that resist his overtures.