Emanuel and the Police Department have been under fire for a dramatic increase in homicides and shootings in Chicago, after 2016 ended with 783 homicides, the most since 1996, according to data collected by the Tribune. As of Friday afternoon, there had been 42 homicides, according to Police Department statistics. Friday's news conference came three days after President Donald Trump called out the city for its violence, saying in a tweet he would "send in the Feds!" if Chicago cannot fix the problem.