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April 28, 2008
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Increased police presence brings down Chicago's shootings
By Francine Knowles and Rummana Hussain
The Chicago Sun-Times CHICAGO — There was a big drop in shootings and a dip in homicides this past weekend in Chicago compared with the misery inflicted here a week earlier. Still, violence continued even as a hostage situation ended with the alleged perpetrator killed by Chicago Police and the hostages unharmed. Preliminary statistics showed nine shootings, all adults, and five homicides in Chicago this past Friday and Saturday, said Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Monique Bond. Two of the homicides stemmed from the semitruck crash into the Cermak/Chinatown Red Line station Friday. A week earlier, there were 36 shootings and seven homicides. More than 14 of those shootings were gang-related, and 19 occurred overnight Friday, April 18. The mounting violence prompted Mayor Daley last week to hold a summit with police, school, religious and community leaders to search for solutions. On Sunday, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger announced future town hall meetings throughout the area to address the violence, and over 200 gathered on the streets at 79th and Cottage Grove urging for peace. "It's just kind of scary. You can't even go to the grocery store without being shot," said 16-year-old Julian High School student Candice Littlejohn, shot last week while walking outside a store at 107th and Wentworth. HOSTAGES UNHARMED Bond said specialized units targeted areas throughout the city and some identified as "hot spots." "Anytime we can decrease crime, it is a success," she said. "But it would be difficult to measure successes because fighting crime is not based on one or two weekends, or months. ... It is based on a comprehensive, long-term strategy." Killed this past weekend was 24-year-old Rigoberto Lopez, who died in a police shooting Saturday after police responded to a robbery-in-progress call from an automotive business in the 9600 block of South Ewing at 7:50 p.m., officials said. "When the officers arrived, there was a subject at that location refusing to come out," said News Affairs Sgt. Antoinette Ursitti. "The offender did fire shots at police. Officers did return fire and did strike the offender. The offender succumbed to his injuries." Three hostages were rescued uninjured. Also among those left dead this weekend and now the subject of homicide investigations, according to Chicago Police and the medical examiner's office, were: — Rashad Wilkins, 25, who was fatally stabbed Saturday afternoon allegedly by his teenage brother during an argument. — Willie Bloomingburg, 26, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds while standing in the 2000 block of West Birchwood around 8 p.m Saturday in Rogers Park. — Eighteen-year-old Alfredo Perez was shot in the 1700 block of West Erie and died early Sunday at Stroger Hospital. Copyright 2008 The Chicago Sun-Times
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