(Screenshot: ABC7, Chicago)

The Oct. 1 shooting massacre in Las Vegas that killed 59 people and wounded more than 500 was horrific, and terribly indicative of how much misery and evil one person can perpetrate. Similarly horrible and heartbreaking are the nearly relentless shootings -- despite tough gun laws -- in the city of Chicago.

In 2016, there were 4,368 shooting victims in the Windy City. This year, as of Monday, 2,961 people had been shot.

In just the first nine days of October, 95 people were shot.

Since May, the number of shooting victims in Chicago has decreased each month relative to last year, according to the Chicago Tribune's shooting victims database and website. However, the victim numbers are high. (The Tribune data are for "number of victims, not shooting incidents," and this includes non-fatal and fatal shootings; the number of shooting homicides is lower than the number of shooting victims.)

As the database shows, in January 2017 there were 312 shooting victims in Chicago; in January 2016, there were 297. The chart below shows the number of victims by month for both years.

(Source: Chicago Tribune.)

In total, the Chicago Tribune reports there were 4,368 shooting victims in 2016 (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2016) in the city. In 2015, there were 2,974 victims; in 2014, 2,578 victims; in 2013, 2,184 victims; and in 2012, 2,516 shooting victims.

For 2016, the number of victims averages to 84 per week.

According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a pro-gun control organization, Illinois is ranked 8th in the nation for its gun laws and earned a B+ grade for its overall efforts to control firearms.

According to the National Rifle Association and the Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), "Illinois has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation," including a 72-hour waiting period for a handgun and 24 hours for a rifle or shotgun.

In addition, residents must show a state-issued Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card "or concealed carry permit for all purchases of firearms or ammunition, whether from a licensed dealer or private seller," stated NRA-ILA.

"Automatic firearms, short-barreled shotguns, and suppressors are prohibited entirely," reports the NRA-ILA. "Even muzzleloaders and black powder guns are considered firearms and subject to the background check requirement."