Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signs executive order creating Office of Gun Violence Reduction

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at reducing gun violence in Chicago.

The order creates the Office of Gun Violence Reduction in the Mayor's office, and puts it under the deputy mayor for community safety.

"For far too long in this city, we have not met the scale of this challenge with the urgency needed to transcend the systemic neglect that has left lasting scars in too many of our communities," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "From day one, my administration's number one priority has been to drive down violence and break these cycles of trauma that have disturbed the lives of too many Chicagoans."

Community groups such as Live Free Illinois have been calling for something like an Office of Gun Violence Reduction in Chicago for many years.

"Our advocacy began during Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel's administration. There were nearly 800 homicides, and we grew tired of gathering at vigils, holding press conferences and saying, 'Enough is enough,'" said the Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Life Free Illinois. "And we believed then, and we still believe today that if we truly want different outcomes, our words must be matched by our actions."

The office will look at gun violence data and violence reduction initiatives, and publish monthly reports showing how the initiatives are working.