A spike in what appears to be gang violence is sucking up resources from Chicago’s emergency services that could be put to much better use helping the city’s coronavirus patients. The Chicago Tribune reports:
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and interim police Superintendent Charlie Beck decried Tuesday’s spike in gun violence in Chicago, saying the shootings strain the city’s health services at a time when hospitals need to focus on the coronavirus pandemic.
“Violence of any kind is never acceptable,” Lightfoot said. “But the fact that this is especially urgent now as our ability to treat all Chicagoans is being stretched to the breaking point, we cannot allow this to happen and we will not allow this to happen.”
At least 21 people were shot Tuesday, including a 5-year-old girl who was sitting on a porch on the South Side. A man with her was killed. Six other people were shot to death across the city, the deadliest day from gunfire in nearly two years. During a five-hour span on Wednesday, another nine people were shot — one reported as accidental — and two people were killed, including a 15-year-old boy.
The slayings and shootings come as Chicago also struggles to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Chicago has accounted for 6,099 of the state’s 15,078 known cases and 177 of Illinois’ 462 deaths since the outbreak started.
Is it any wonder that the same criminals who ignore Chicago’s draconian gun control laws are ignoring its stay-at-home orders?
Americans have seen the coronavirus bring out the best in people. Doctors and nurses working extremely long hours, truckers moving the goods we all need, grocery store employees exposing themselves to the risk of contracting the virus to make sure Americans can still buy the essentials, and many more acts of heroism great and small.
But the virus is also bringing out the worst instincts of some. The NYPD has seen a 75% increase in business burglaries, and shops in other cities have seen looting as well.
Many Americans have armed themselves in amidst the uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus and quarantine living.
If you are one of the many Americans who have just purchased your first firearm or are considering doing so, congratulations on exercising your Second Amendment rights. The next step for you is getting some quality training. If you want to take your family’s security into your own hands, get your gun and your training now.
