At least 150 people were killed by gun violence in more than 400 shootings across the country during the Fourth of July weekend as major cities nationwide confront a surge in violent crime, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive.
The data, which includes the number of shooting incidents and gun violence victims nationally over a 72-hour period from Friday through Sunday, is still evolving and will be updated.
In New York, where gun violence has been rising to levels not seen in years, there were 26 victims from 21 shootings from Friday to Sunday, a decrease from the same period last year when 30 people were shot in 25 shootings, the New York Police Department said.On July 4, the city experienced 12 shooting incidents that involved 13 victims, an increase from last year when there were eight shootings and eight victims, according to the NYPD.
So far this year, gun violence incidents in New York have spiked almost 40% over the same period in 2020, with 767 shootings and 885 victims. CNN has requested data on how many of the shootings over the weekend resulted in homicides.
In Chicago, after Police Superintendent David Brown raised concerns before the "most challenging weekend of the year" for police, 83 people were shot, including 14 killed, in shootings from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday, according to a CNN review of preliminary Chicago Police Department data. The injured included a 5-year-old girl wounded on Sunday afternoon and a 6-year-old girl shot early Monday.One of the 14 people killed was a member of the Illinois Army National Guard, CNN affiliate WLS reported. His family identified him on social media as Chrys Carvajal, though the Cook County medical examiner has not officially released his name.
Lt. Col. Brad Leighton confirmed to CNN that Carvajal was assigned to the Company L, Recruitment Sustainment Program, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, of the Illinois Army National Guard.
"(Carvajal) was new to the Illinois National Guard and was to be assigned to a transportation unit. He had recently completed Army basic training," Leighton said. "Our hearts go out Pvt. 1st Class Carvajal's family and friends.
Two Chicago police officers were injured in an overnight shooting as an individual opened fire while officers were dispersing a crowd of several thousand people and made more than 60 arrests, police said. Both are expected to survive.
Unlike other cities experiencing a spike in violent crime, the homicide rate in Chicago through June is 2% lower than the same period in 2020. The number of victims is still 14% higher.
A reason for the drop was a less violent June where Chicago saw a 20% drop in homicides compared to last year (98 instead of 78), a 13% drop in shootings (416 compared to 363) and an 8% decrease in shooting victims (540 compared to 499).