CHICAGO – After a weekend that left at least six people dead and 33 others injured in shootings across Chicago, faith leaders, community activists and city officials are renewing calls for a permanent city department dedicated to reducing gun violence.
The proposal comes after two dozen shootings were reported across the city since Friday evening, including a mass shooting at a Juneteenth gathering on the Far South Side that left 12 people wounded.
Supporters say the violence highlights the need for a long-term, coordinated approach to reducing shootings that can survive changes in political leadership and city priorities.
What we know:
Chicago police tells Fox Chicago, 24 shootings were reported across the city between Friday evening and Sunday night.
One of the largest shootings happened during a Juneteenth celebration on the Far South Side. Police said someone driving an SUV drove up to a crowd and two gunmen opened fire, injuring 12 people.
The violence prompted faith leaders and community advocates to gather outside City Hall on Monday morning to push for a permanent Department of Gun Violence Reduction.
The proposed department would focus exclusively on reducing gun violence while coordinating existing violence prevention programs, public safety initiatives, healthcare resources and social service organizations.
Supporters say Chicago has invested in violence prevention programs for years, but those efforts often change when administrations change or funding priorities shift.
“We have long believed that reducing gun violence cannot be dependent on who occupies City Hall or what administration is in office,” said Rev. Ciera Bates Chamberlain of Live Free Illinois.
Advocates say a permanent department would create stability and ensure violence prevention remains a priority regardless of who occupies City Hall.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis, it’s a community crisis and it’s a system’s challenge that requires coordination investment and long-term commitment,” said Rev. Beth Brown, of Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church.
Father Michael Pfleger, of St. Sabina Church, said Chicago must continue addressing the root causes of violence while confronting the widespread availability of guns.
“We have too damn many guns in Chicago and in this country we got to deal with the gun issue. It’s the first line of offense for everything now,” Pfleger said. “We got to make sure we use our mouths, we use our minds and not the guns to solve our problems.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the weekend violence and expressed support for the proposal.
“What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones,” Johnson wrote on social media.
Johnson’s office later told FOX Chicago the mayor would support creating a permanent office focused on gun violence reduction. His office released a statement saying:
“Gun violence has afflicted our communities in Chicago for far too long, leaving behind grief, trauma, and empty seats at family tables in neighborhoods across our city. While this is a challenge cities across the country continue to face, its impact is felt every day by Chicago families.
“We know what our communities deserve. That is why, even as federal cuts and funding uncertainty threaten violence reduction efforts nationwide, our administration is continuing to expand and strengthen investments that make communities safer. That is why our approach attends to the instability and adverse impact of school closings in neighborhoods by investing in community anchors and Chicagoans. Our comprehensive approach to community safety goes beyond policing alone and expands youth employment, mentorship programs and safe spaces, invests in mental health services and crisis response, supports proven community violence intervention efforts, and strengthens the housing ecosystem by building more affordable units, providing down payment assistance, and increasing non-congregate shelters with wrap around services.
“Our administration is not running from this challenge. We are running toward it. We continue to listen to faith leaders, community organizations, violence prevention workers, and survivors who have long called for sustained, coordinated action. That is why we support establishing a permanent office dedicated to gun violence reduction, ensuring these efforts are aligned, accountable, and sustained over time. It takes a full force of government approach to build safer, stronger communities, and we will keep fighting for the long-term solutions our residents deserve,” Johnson’s statement reads.
However, city officials have not yet said how many employees the department would require, how much it would cost taxpayers or whether the city could afford the additional expense.
Violence Interrupters weigh in:
Tio Hardiman, founder of Violence Interrupters, said organizations already working in neighborhoods affected by violence should be included in any new city-led effort.
“Right now we need more boots on the ground so we can intercept whisperers and stop guys from killing people on the front end,” Hardiman said.
Hardiman told FOX Chicago his organization has prevented 40 potentially fatal incidents involving guns and other weapons this year across Chicago, including incidents on CTA property. He argued that real-world experience is critical when trying to prevent violence before it happens.
“When you’re out here in the belly of the beast on the streets and you have never been threatened, you never been confronted, nobody’s ever shot guns around you, someone’s not telling the truth, you won’t be able to stop no killing in the face of the guys who are pulling them triggers,” Hardiman said.
Hardiman also said he has reached out to Johnson’s administration about working together but has not received a response.
“Well I reached out to Brandon Johnson on several occasions, no response, no return calls. I don’t know what the problem may be, but it’s time to bring everybody together. We need all hands on deck just opening up another Department of Gun Violence. That’s part of the solution, that’s not the only solution,” Hardiman said.
Dig deeper:
The proposal is part of the “Fund Peace” campaign, a coalition of community organizations, faith leaders and violence prevention advocates seeking to establish a permanent city infrastructure focused on reducing shootings.
Supporters envision a department that would coordinate city agencies and community-based groups while ensuring violence prevention funding remains protected over the long term.
The push also comes as Chicago enters the summer months, a period when gun violence historically increases across the city.
Meanwhile, the latest violence has once again drawn national attention. President Donald Trump renewed calls for deploying the National Guard to Chicago, an idea city and state leaders have repeatedly opposed. Local officials argue that investing in communities and violence prevention programs offers a more sustainable path to reducing crime.
Chicago street pastor Donovan Price said the city has proven it can reduce violence when residents, community groups and government work together.
“Chicago is bigger than this, better than this, we’ve proved it and now we need to make it happen again,” Price said.
What we don’t know:
Many details surrounding the proposed department remain unanswered.
City leaders have not outlined a budget, staffing levels or a timeline for implementation.
It is also unclear how the new department would interact with existing anti-violence programs and whether additional funding would be needed from the City Council.
What’s next:
Supporters are urging Mayor Johnson to establish the Department of Gun Violence Reduction through an executive order and are asking the Chicago City Council to make the department permanent through legislation.
Community leaders formally announced their support for the proposal during a Monday morning press conference at City Hall.
As discussions move forward, city leaders will likely face questions about funding, oversight and how the department would measure success in reducing gun violence across Chicago.