At least 27 people were shot in a 48-hour period over Christmas weekend, the New York Timesreported on Sunday, citing information from the Chicago police department, seven of them fatally.

One of the people killed was an 18-year-old man who was shot in the neck and back while he was driving through Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood early Christmas Day, around 1:30 a.m., reported the Times. Less than an hour earlier, a 21-year-old man was fatally shot in the head in the South Shore neighborhood, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Officer Jose Estrada, a spokesperson for the Chicago police department told the Times on Sundaythat there had been a total of 745 homicides in Chicago this year — a more-than 50% increase from the same time last year, when the total was 476.

While homicides in Chicago have, as the Times reports, "skyrocketed" this year, the national murder rate hit a 33-year-low in 2016, the FBI announced in October, according to ABC News.

In Chicago however, Christmas weekend was deadly yet again — NBC5 Chicago reported that last Christmas weekend, 30 people were shot in Chicago and six died.

RELATED: See some of the major figures we lost this year



87 PHOTOS Notable deaths in 2016 See Gallery Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Bumpers The American politician who served as the 38th Governor of Arkansas and in the United States Senate died on January 1. He was 90. (Photo by Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images) Craig Strickland A country singer, Craig Strickland was the frontman for Backroad Anthem. He was 29. (Photo by David Becker/ACM2016/Getty Images for dcp) David Bowie A legendary English singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie died on January 10. He was 69. (Photo credit RALPH GATTI/AFP/Getty Images) Monte Irvin The Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder died January 11. He was 96. (Photo by Sporting News/Sporting News via Getty Images) Rene Angelil A Canadian musical producer, talent manager and singer, Rene Angelil was also the manager and husband of singer Celine Dion. He was 73. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images) Alan Rickman An English actor and director, Rickman was known playing a variety of roles including Hans Gruber in "Die Hard" as well as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. He was 69. (Photo by Phil Dent/Redferns) Glenn Frey The singer, guitarist, Frey was a founding member of The Eagles. He was 67. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) Abe Vigoda The well-known actor, Vigoda was best known for roles in "The Godfather" and "Barney Miller." He was 94. (Photo by Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic) Paul Kantner The founding member of Jefferson Airplane died January 28. He was 74. (Photo by Steve Snowden/Getty Images) Maurice White The founder of Earth, Wind, and Fire, died on February 3. He was 74. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage) Edgar Mitchell The Apollo 14 astronaut, who was the sixth man to walk on the moon, died on February 4. He was 85. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) Dave Mirra The famed BMX biker host of an MTV reality show died Feb. 4. He was 41. (Photo by Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic via Getty) Antonin Scalia The Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States died on February 13. He was 79. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Harper Lee The author of the literary classic "To Kill a Mockingbird," died on February 19. She was 89. (Photo by Bettmann via Getty Images) George Kennedy Best Supporting Actor winner for "Cool Hand Luke" and also co-star in "The Dirty Dozen" died on February 28. He was 91. (Photo by Art Zelin/Getty Images) Ashley Guindon Guindon was responding to a domestic violence call on her first day on the job on February 27 when she was fatally shot. Two other officers were injured. She was 28. (Photo via REUTERS/Prince William Co PD/Handout via Reuters) Joey Feek An American country singer, Joey Feek performed with her husband Rory Feek before passing away after battling cancer. She was 40. (Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/WireImage) Pat Conroy Author of several critically acclaimed novels, Pat Conroy penned "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini." He was 70. (Photo by Jeffrey Vock/Getty Images) Nancy Reagan The actress-turned-first lady died on March 6. She was 94. (Photo courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidental Library/Getty Images) George Martin The producer for the Beatles, often called The Fifth Beatle, died on March 8. He was 90. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images) Frank Sinatra, Jr. The singer and son of Ol' Blue Eyes, died on March 16. He was 72. (Photo by Martin Mills/Getty Images) Allen Jacobs On March 18, Jacobs was shot by a 17-year-old boy he was interviewing about a weapons purchase. One other officer was injured. He was 28. (Photo via REUTERS/Greenville Police Department/Handout via Reuters) Rob Ford The former mayor of Toronto died on March 22. He was 46. (Photo credit GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images) Malik Taylor, a.k.a. Phife Dawg The rapper and co-founder of the legendary hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest died on March 23. He was 45. (Photo by Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic via Getty) Garry Shandling The legendary stand-up comedian died on March 24. He was 66. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images) Patty Duke The Oscar and Emmy-winning actress, former child star and mother of "Lord of the Rings" actor Sean Astin, died on March 29. She was 69. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) Chad Dermyer During a training exercise at a Greyhound bus station on March 31, Trooper Dermyer was shot by a man who walked away from his luggage. The man was not a part of the exercise. He was 37. (Photo via REUTERS/Virginia State Police/Handout) Merle Haggard Country music legend Merle Haggard died on his 79th birthday of complications from pneumonia. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) Will Smith The former first-round NFL draft pick who played for the New Orlens Saints' Super Bowl-winning team, was shot to death after a traffic accident. He was 34. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) Doris Roberts The actress, best known for her role as Marie Barone on the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," died on April 17 at the age of 90. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) Michelle McNamara The crime writer who founded the website TrueCrimeStory.com died on April 21 at the age of 46. She was the wife of comedian Patton Oswalt. No cause of death was provided. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic) Prince The incredibly talented and influential musician was found dead in his Minnesota home on April 21 from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl. He was 57-years-old. (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns) Charles Keating IV The former student-athlete, grandson of a banker and U.S. NAVY Seal was the third American service member to be killed in direct combat since the fight against ISIS began in 2014. He was 31. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy/Handout photo via Reuters) William Schallert The actor, who played roles in "Star Trek" and "The Patty Duke Show," among many others, died on May 8 at the age of 93. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images) Susannah Mushatt Jones Ms. Jones was a "supercentenarian," meaning she was the world's oldest living person and last living American born in the 1800's. At the time of her death she was living in East New York, Brooklyn, and had more than 100 nieces and nephews. She was 116. (Photo By: Debbie Egan-Chin/NY Daily News via Getty Images) Guy Clark The Grammy-winning songwriter died after a long illness on May 17 at the age of 74. (Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns via Getty Images) Morley Safer The CBS News legend, who hosted "60 Minutes," died at the age of 84 on May 19. (Photo via REUTERS/Stephen Chernin/File) Alan Young The actor died on May 19 at the age of 96. He was best known for his role as Wilbur Post in the TV series "Mr. Ed." (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) John Berry (second from right) One of the original members of the Beastie Boys died on May 19 at the age of 52, following a long battle with dementia. (Photo via Wikipedia) Harambe After a 3-year-old boy climbed down into an enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Harambe the gorilla started to drag and hover over the child. Fearing for the boy's life, a zoo worker shot and killed Harambe. He was 17. (Photo via REUTERS/Cincinnati Zoo/Handout via Reuters) Muhammad Ali The American boxing legend, widely revered as "The Greatest," is an icon in sports and activism. Ali, born Cassius Clay, died on June 3 at age 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Newsmakers) Kimbo Slice Professional mixed martial artist Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice, rose to internet fame for backyard fights before fighting professional. The Bahamian-born American was reportedly diagnosed with heart failure and informed he needed a heart transplant days before his death in Margate, Florida. He died at age 42 on June 6. (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) Gordie Howe The NHL legend, known as "Mr. Hockey," scored 801 goals during his professional career and won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. He died on June 10 at the age of 88. (Photo by Bettmann via Getty Images) Christina Grimmie The 22-year-old singer rose to fame following her third place finish on NBC's sixth season of "The Voice," The young star was shot and killed while signing autographs after an Orlando concert on June 11. (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting victims On June 12, 29-year-old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a terrorist attack/hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Click here to see a full gallery of those victims. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images) Michu Meszaros The actor who played "Alf" in the popular '80s sitcom died at the age of 77 on June 12. (Photo via IMDB) Lane Graves While at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Matt and Melissa watched their son get attacked and dragged under water by an alligator. After 17 hours, officials found Lane's body and found traumatic injuries and drowning as the causes of death. He was 2. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Anton Yelchin The 27-year-old actor, who played Pavel Chekov in the most recent "Star Trek" films, died from a freak car accident outside his home on June 19. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) Pat Summitt The head coach of the University of Tennessee's women's basketball team turned the program around during her 38 years at the university and ultimately became the winningest coach in NCAA history with 1,098 career wins. The coaching icon died on June 28at the age of 64, just five years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) Alton Sterling Alton Sterling's name made national headlines after he was shot several times at point blank range by two Baton Rouge Police Department officers in Louisiana, prompting nationwide protests from the Black Lives Matter movement. He was 37. (Photo via East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office/Handout via Reuters) Philando Castile Philando Castile was fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer after being pulled over in a St. Paul suburb. According to his girlfriend who was in the car with him during the shooting, Castile was reaching for his identification after telling the officer he was armed. He was 32. (Photo via REUTERS/Eric Miller) Dallas Police Officers Five Dallas police officers -- Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, Officer Michael Krol, Sgt. Michael Smith, Officer Brent Thompson, and Officer Patrick Zamarripa -- were shot and killed by a gunman during a protest on July 7. The gunman had expressed desire to kill white people and white police officers out of anger for the Black Lives Matter movement. (Photo by Gary Miller/WireImage) Brad Garafola Three Baton Rouge police officers -- Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola, Officer Matthew Gerald, and Cpl. Montrell Jackson -- were shot and killed on July 17 by a gunman in the aftermath of the police shooting of Baton Rouge resident Alton Sterling and related protests. (East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS) Montrell Jackson Three Baton Rouge police officers -- Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola, Officer Matthew Gerald, and Cpl. Montrell Jackson -- were shot and killed on July 17 by a gunman in the aftermath of the police shooting of Baton Rouge resident Alton Sterling and related protests. (Baton Rouge Police Department/Handout via REUTERS) Matthew Gerald Three Baton Rouge police officers -- Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola, Officer Matthew Gerald, and Cpl. Montrell Jackson -- were shot and killed on July 17 by a gunman in the aftermath of the police shooting of Baton Rouge resident Alton Sterling and related protests. (Baton Rouge Police Department/Handout via REUTERS) Garry Marshall The multitalented Hollywood legend was credited with creating the hit television series, "Happy Days," creating "The Odd Couple" and directing "Pretty Woman." He was 81. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images) Youree Dell Harris Commonly referred to as "Miss Cleo," Dell was the iconic face of psychic hotline commercials in the late 1990s. She was 53. (Video via YouTube) David Huddleston Huddleston had a prolific acting career in both television and film, most famously recognized for his role as the Big Lebowski in "The Big Lebowski." He was 85. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images) Vanessa Marcotte Google employee Vanessa Marcotte's body was found after she went for a jog while home visiting her mother in Princeton, Mass. She was 27. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) John Saunders Saunders was a longtime ESPN broadcaster and Sportscenter anchor. He was 61. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images) Kenny Baker The English actor was best known for portraying the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars series. He was 81. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images) Lou Pearlman The American record producer and fraudster was best known for managing hit boy bands Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. He was 62. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images) Gene Wilder Born Jerome Silberman, the film and theater comic actor famously brought joy to movie lovers everywhere with his roles as Willy Wonka and Dr. Frankenstein. He was 82. (Photo by robbie jack/Corbis via Getty Images) Jon Polito In his 35-year television and film career, Jon Polito amassed over 200 credits -- known best for his roles in "Barton Fink" and "The Big Lebowski." He was 65. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) Alexis Arquette The transgender actress and activist was most widely known for her Boy George-inspired character in "The Wedding Singer." (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic) Edward Albee An American playwright, Albee was best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" He was 88. (Photo by Wendell Teodoro/WireImage) Charmian Carr The actress and singer was best known for her role as eldest Von Trapp daughter, Liesl, in the 1965 film version of The Sound of Music. She was 73. (Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) Shawty Lo Born Carlos Rico Walker, the hip hop artist was a founding member of the group "D4L" and best known for his single debut album, "Dey Know." He was 40. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images) Bill Nunn Nunn was a character actor best known for his portrayal of Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's 1989 film "Do the Right Thing." He was 62. (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Jose Fernandez A Cuban-born MLB pitcher, Jose Fernandez was headed for a career Fernandez tragically died this year in a fatal boating accident off the coast of Miami. He was 24. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) Arnold Palmer Seen by many as the greatest golfer in the sport's history, Palmer was known for his down-to-earth persona and ability to transform the once exclusive recreation into a common pastime. He was 87. (Photo via REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File Photo) Lesley Zerebny and Jose Vega Zerebny, 27, and Vega, 63, were both shot and killed on October 8 when responding to a domestic disturbance in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) Dylan Rieder Both a model and skateboarder, Dylan Rieder passed away after battling Leukemia. He was 28. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) Tommy Ford Best known for his role as Tommy Strawn in the sitcom Martin, Tommy Ford died in October. He was 52. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Bhumibol Adulyadej Known as King Bhumibol the Great, Bhumibol Adulyadej was the longest-serving monarch in the world at the time of his death, having been the Thai king since 1946. He was 88. (Photo via REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo) Tom Hayden An anti-war and civil rights activist in the 1960s, Tom Hayden married fellow liberal Jane Fonda and eventually served as a lawmaker in the California legislature. He was 76. (Photo by Paul Warner/Getty Images) Benjamin Marconi Detective Benjamin Marconi, 50, was shot while sitting in his patrol car outside of his police station in Texas on November 20. (Courtesy of San Antonio Police Deparment/Handout via REUTERS) Florence Henderson One of the most famous TV moms in American history, Henderson was known by most as character "Carol Brady" from "Brady Bunch" (Photo by Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Fidel Castro A famous Cuban politician and revolutionary figure, Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for nearly 50 years as prime minister and president until his retirement in 2009. He was 90. (Photo by Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photography/Getty Images) Peter Vaughan The British actor died at age 93. He is most known for his role as Maester Aemon in the HBO hit series "Game of Thrones" from 2011-2015. (Photo by Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images) Greg Lake A member of the XXX band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Greg Lake died after “a long and stubborn battle with cancer." He was 69. (Photo by Roberto Serra - Iguana Press/Redferns via Getty Images) John Glenn A member of NASA's "Mercury Seven," John Glenn was the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth and eventually became a politician, serving as a U.S. senator from Ohio. He was 95. (Courtesy NASA/Handout via REUTERS) Alan Thicke The actor, known best for his role in 'Growing Pains,' died on December 13 at age 69. (Photo via REUTERS/Danny Moloshok) Craig Sager The legendary NBA reporter passed away after a battle with cancer. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) Zsa Zsa Gabor The Hungarian-American actress and socialite died on December 18. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images) George Michael The singer and LGBT advocate passed away on Christmas Day. (Photo via REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/Files) Carrie Fisher The actress, best known for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the 'Star Wars' movies, suffered a heart attack and died at age 60. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

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