Data show some types of crimes are decreasing in Chicago, but robberies and carjackings are spiking
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A mass shooting in front of a McDonald's at Chicago Avenue and State Street on the Near North Side left two people dead and nine wounded late on Thursday, May 19.
Five days before that, a teen died after being shot steps from the Cloud Gate sculpture, or the Bean, in Millennium Park.
With the start of the summer months, data show some types of crimes are on the rise, while some have decreased. We looked at data for the past four years between the months of May and June in the city - leading up to July 4th weekend.
Data show there have been 113 murders between May 1 and June 22 in Chicago. That amounts to fewer for the same period in 2021 and 2020, and slightly higher than in 2019.
For aggravated battery, when someone is physically harmed, the city is reporting the fewest number of cases in the past four years – with just over 1,307 in May and June of this year, compared to 1,506 in the same period last year.
Robberies are at their highest of in recent years for this time period – totaling 1,226 compared with 935 last year.
Carjackings have also been on the rise consistently and are now at their highest in recent years for this time period – totaling 217 this year, compared with 196 in 2021 and only 83 in 2019.
"The war on crime right now, the criminals are winning," said Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd).
Hopkins says his ward has seen an increase in armed robberies and carjackings.
"We're seeing armed robbery sprees where criminals are stealing a car and using it to rob people in a given neighborhood over the course of hours - one after another - until they get tired and decide to go home," he said.
Hopkins said residents of the communities he represents are alarmed.
"People are aware of it. They're on their Facebook page, the neighborhood watch groups," Hopkins said. "They know what's happening around them in their community - and frankly, it's frightening."
The 2nd Ward includes parts of Streeterville, the Magnificent Mile, River North, the Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, the Clybourn Corridor, Wicker Park, Noble Square, and Ukrainian Village. Le Mignot met with Hopkins in the park of Lincoln Park.
"This neighborhood is being targeted by criminals. They know they can come here, carjack a car, and go on a robbery spree unfettered, unchecked - and walk away with significant proceeds," Hopkins said.
Hopkins also accused the criminal justice system of failing to prevent suspects from going out and committing more crimes.
"And if they do get arrested, they're typically back out on the street on either no bond or a low bond or electronic monitoring - and they go right back to robbing people," he said.
The spike in carjackings is a concern for Vaughn Bryant, the Executive Director of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives.
"That is a very random crime," said Vaughn Bryant, Executive Director of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives. "It happens not only in the city, but in the suburbs. It's agnostic in terms of the types of neighborhood it's in - and I think it's a crime of opportunity."
Metropolitan Peace Initiatives works with organizations to provide violence intervention services across Chicago. Bryant said crime ends when there are opportunities and education for young people.
"We have to make sure that our private industry is working hand in hand with us to make sure that people have the skills to be able to get the jobs that are out there - because there are jobs out there," Bryant said, "but we got to have the people with the education and skill level to actually get into those jobs."
In response to this story, Chicago police told us they do not discuss deployment, patrol operations, or strategies.