Chicago's Mayor Johnson questioned about holiday weekend violence
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The shooting incidents are part of the 45 shootings CBS 2 is tracking in the city this holiday weekend.
CBS 2's Tara Molina brought new numbers on gun violence straight to Mayor Brandon Johnson, and talked Monday to families impacted.
More than 60 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend...more than 60...we talked to the family of *one of those victims.
A woman who works to prevent what she was caught in overnight.
Thirty-year-old Ashanti Kelly was one of more than 60 shooting victims in Chicago this weekend.
"She's a strong lady. She has sickle cell disease. She just had a baby that's three months old," said her mother Candyce Hines.
Hines told CBS 2 that Ashanti lost her father and her stepfather to gun violence. She said it's why she was passionate about her work with at-risk youth through UCAN, a Chicago-based violence prevention nonprofit.
"She's an amazing woman," said Hines.
Shot in her face, arm, and leg according to her mom. Her parked car now has shattered glass and bullet holes.
"She was able to drive her and her friend here to county (hospital)"
Ashanti is hospitalized, considered critical, at Stroger Hospital. She was in her car driving with her friend when they were shot overnight, on their way home from a party.
Police said it happened just before 3:00 in the morning. Shots were fired at the car in the 4200 block of West Roosevelt in North Lawndale.
Ashanti Kelly is one of more than 60 shooting victims this weekend. Police said there have been 46 shootings since 6:00 pm Friday with 62 victims and 10 murders.
With Candyce Hines just one of the Chicagoans impacted by that violence.
"Stop the gun violence. It's taking people away from their families. Causing chaos," Hines said.
CBS 2 asked Mayor Brandon Johnson at an event in Hyde Park how he's responding and what he has to say to families, to people, like Candyce who told CBS 2 enough is enough.
"We all are part of those families. I would respectfully ask you not to separate us from one another. Do you think because someone is grieving, we aren't grieving in this room," asked Johnson.
He said his message is for everyone.
"You said speak to the other families as though the people in this room have not experienced that very violence. You can't make that assumption, respectfully. I just want to make sure when we are asking questions that we are clear at how we are communicating to people," Johnson said. "Grief is grief. Loss is loss. We are speaking to one another."
Chicago police are still investigating the shooting and both women are still in the hospital.
Johnson added, "We're all in this together and we are going to come out of this together."
