The Fourth of July has sadly become a holiday where the number of gun related deaths continues to steadily rise. In Chicago alone, nine people were gunned down and 46 others were injured after multiple shooting incidents in the city this past weekend.
Chicago's fatal shootings began Thursday evening when an unidentified 20-year-old male was shot multiple times in his upper body while riding his bike in the 2700 block of South Karlovand. The ages of those killed range from seven-years-old to 48, with the youngest being a little boy by the name of Amari Brown. Amari and his father Antonio - "a known gang member" - were watching a fireworks display just before midnight Saturday evening when he was shot in the chest along with a 26-year-old woman. His father was unaware that he was the victim of gunfire until Amari called out to him. The news is reporting that the bullets were meant for Antonio Brown, who has been arrested 45 times.
The majority of those cases are currently under investigation with no leads. A map showing where most of the killings took place can be viewed in the gallery.
Last year the amount of people who fell victim to gunfire over the holiday weekend totaled up to 67 with 11 succumbing to their wounds, which has decreased - but not by much - this year.
We keep these families in our prayers.
Source: NBC Chicago
