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It was a bloody weekend in Chicago, as nine people were killed and at least 56 others were wounded in shootings since Thursday night.

STORY: CHICAGOLAND: 19 People Shot Overnight In The Chi

In an effort to reassure the community the police are doing everything in their power, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said they are “basically treading water” in their efforts to stem the tide of violence.

As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times:

In a press conference Saturday afternoon touting a crackdown on two South Side drug markets, McCarthy said he sees the police department’s anti-violence strategy taking root.

“We’re not winning, we’re not losing. We’re basically treading water,” McCarthy said. He said that in the month of August, “we had some trouble because some of these retaliatory shootings are happening quicker than we can stop them.”

In the most violent shootings of the past few days, eight people were wounded in a drive-by that happened about 9:15 p.m. Thursday near the intersection of 79th Street and Kingston Avenue.

On Saturday, McCarthy would not comment on any evidence that police have gathered in relation to that shooting, but “we have people identified that we’re going after already.”

McCarthy wanted to stress that a lot of the people involved in that shooting — both offenders and victims — were alleged to be gang members.

“We’re talking about 14- to 15-year-old kids on the streets with guns … engaging in violent behavior. That’s not something that’s taking place in every neighborhood in the city.”

Here are many of the recorded shootings in Chicago since Thursday:

-Johnny Howell, 19, and a 23-year-old man were standing in the 600 block of East 67th Street when a vehicle pulled up and shots were fired about 2:50 p.m., police said.

 Howell, of the 6700 block of South Langley Avenue, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he later died, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

-Rashad Pratt, 28, was found at 2:58 a.m. with multiple gunshot wounds inside a vehicle near the intersection of East 91st Street and South East End Avenue, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Pratt, of the 9000 block of South Ridgeland Avenue, was dead at the scene, authorities said. No one is in custody in connection with the slaying as of early Sunday.

-On Saturday, about 1:20 p.m., Christopher Spraggins, 20, and an 18-year-old man were fatally shot in the 7900 block of South St. Lawrence, authorities said. Spraggins, of the 300 block of East 76th Street, was dead on the scene, police said.

-The 18-year-old man was shot in the leg and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 2:14 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, which withheld his name pending family notification Saturday night.

-A 17-year-old girl suffered a gunshot wound to the back, authorities said, and paramedics took her to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition.

-About 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Stephin Wilkins, 23, was sitting in a vehicle with his girlfriend in the 4900 block of South Drexel when two people walked up with a handgun and tried robbing him, police said.

Wilkins tried fighting the robbers and was shot multiple times, police said. Wilkins was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died, authorities said.

Even as Republicans attend their convention, we’re sure violence in Chicago is not on their platform. When will it end? 

SOURCE: Chicago Sun-Times

Photo courtesy of Chris Sweda, Tribune