Chicago's 2012 Murder Total Ties 2011 Numbers

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 29, 2012 1:45PM



Photo credit: Brian Bochenek

With two months left in 2012, Chicago’s murder total has matched 2011’s number of 435. The most recent murder occurred Sunday night on the 9400 block of South LaSalle Street, where a 68-year-old man was found shot to death in his home.

The man, whose identity has not been released, recently put up a fence outside his home because he was tired of drug dealers using his property to conduct business. Chicago Police are investigating whether the murder was retaliation for erecting the fence.

The murder capped a weekend of violence where six people were murdered and another 14 were wounded by gunfire and comes on the heels of reports the city’s crime rate had slowed following a first quarter of 2012 that saw a 60 percent rise in the homicide rate. Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has spent months repeating his line that his tactics to reduce gang violence have helped curb the murder rate and pushed for tighter state gun laws last week during City Council budget hearings. McCarthy told the City Council Budget Committee gun owners in Illinois aren’t required to report lost or stolen guns, which makes it easier for straw purchasers to buy guns for criminals. Earlier this month, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called for a so-called “violence tax” on guns and ammunition sold in Cook County in her 2013 budget.

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) floated a proposal for businesses in his ward, which includes the Michigan Avenue downtown shopping district, to hire off-duty cops to conduct extra patrols of the area. North Michigan Avenue has been the scene of a series of muggings and beatings in mob attacks the past two summers.

