2. In Chicago, which had the highest number of homicides of any American city last year, 46 people were shot over Memorial Day weekend. Five were killed.

That was an improvement over last year, when 64 people were shot, and seven of them fatally wounded.

The summer months are usually the most violent, and the holiday weekend was seen as a harbinger. “Let’s not throw a parade yet,” said a priest who leads a South Side parish. “To say we’re better than last year is good, but last year was disastrous.”