Chicago’s O.K. Corral – Urban Gunfights | Chocolate City: The Best African American Blog

Chicago’s O.K. Corral – Urban Gunfights

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis was talking about surging gun violence when he was pulled away. Photo Credit: (John J. Kim/Chicago Sun-Times)

Today is not October 26, 1881, and we are not in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, United States. Today is April 03, 2010 and we are in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Actually, one of the most beautiful cities in the world – architecturally. The only similarity between Tombstone 1818 and Chicago 2010 is the gunfights.

If it was left up to Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley, nobody would ever own a hand gun within the city limits. Since 1982, Chicago has outlawed handguns in the city, even for law-abiding residents who sought to keep one at home. Chicago's resident Otis McDonald, 76 year-old of Chicago's Morgan Park does not share the mayor's view and has taken the city to court. Last month, the Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments over the City of Chicago's handgun ban.

Despite the handgun ban, it appears as if the convicted felons, gangs, and drug dealers are the only ones toting unregistered guns around the city while the law-abiding citizens are left to defend themselves with cans of pepper spray and whistles for blowing in the event of attacks.

Police Superintendent Jody Weis called a press conference yesterday in the Englewood neighborhood to announced that 41 people were shot between the end of Wednesday and 2 a.m. Friday – 26 hours. Chicago's Englewood neighborhood is disproportionally over represented with crime and violence.

Mr. Weis and his top-brass had to cut short their press conference and literally rush out of the area when a barrage of shots were fired just blocks away.

To curtail the warm-weather crime wave, the Chicago Police Department has announced a series of police responses including a crackdown on large gatherings in public places, illegal and large house parties.

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