Nine people were killed and 47 were wounded this Fourth of July weekend in Chicago, including one 7-year-old boy, due to gun violence. The city's "outraged and saddened" police chief has pledged to stem the flow of guns into the area and overhaul a failing system.
"We need to repair a broken system," Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy told reporters Sunday, according to CNN. "Criminals don't feel the repercussions of the justice system."
The violence occurred despite having a 30 percent increase in police on patrol over the holiday weekend, according to The Washington Post.
The city's police department said it seized more than 80 illegal guns over the holiday at an average rate of one per hour. So far this year, about 3,400 illegal guns have been confiscated in Chicago, according to CNN.
While the Fourth of July weekend statistics seem high, even more people were killed during the same period last year. Police increased their presence by nearly a third, which contributed to less shootings and fatalities, McCarthy said. Over the 2014 holiday, Chicago had over 80 shootings and 16 fatalities, according to the Chicago Tribune.
McCarthy said he is extremely proud of the men and women of his department for how they handle daily challenges, however, he added, "We need some help here, folks. We have to fix this broken system," reports CNN. "We must stem the flow of guns into the city," McCarthy added.
"It's real simple. Gun possessors are potential murderers. If they don't learn a lesson for carrying the gun, they keep carrying the gun. They get into an argument, now instead of fighting, they shoot," he said at the conference, according to the Washington Post.
McCarthy specifically cited the shooting death of 7-year-old Amari Brown, who was an unintended target in a shooting that occurred near midnight on Saturday, reported WGN News. Police believe that the shooter was actually targeting the child's father, who has gang connections and was arrested in April for gun possession, according to McCarthy.
McCarthy said that Amari's father should have faced harsher penalties for the gun possession charge. "If Mr. Brown is in custody, his son is alive," he said.
"This has got to stop," he added. "We can put another 10,000 police officers on the street and what would happen? Maybe we'll arrest Mr. Brown 90 times and nothing will happen."
At least 12 people have been arrested this year on second gun possession charges, only to later be released, McCarthy said.
