Chicago mayor rips prosecutor over lack of charges in fatal shootout

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) has criticized the state’s attorney’s office after no charges were pursued in a fatal shooting at a Chicago home last week.

The shooting occurred on Chicago’s West Side when four people exited their cars and shot into a home, killing one person, according to The Chicago Tribune.

“It’s complicated, for sure. But we really urge the State’s Attorney herself to get personally involved, look at the evidence, and I believe that there are charges that can be brought at a minimum against the individuals who initiated the gunfire,” Lightfoot said at a press conference unrelated to the incident, the Tribune reported.

In a statement responding to the mayor’s criticism, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said it was “unclear” why Lightfoot would make these statements without the information that the Chicago Police Department gave her office. 

“The facts the mayor presented today simply are not in line with what was presented to us by CPD, and not born out by the evidence we received,” Foxx’s statement said. “The staggering violence that is devastating our communities is horrific, however, we must still adhere to both our ethical and legal standards in evaluating charges. As a former prosecutor, she knows that.”

Lightfoot’s critique of Foxx comes as the mayor is under increased pressure to control gun violence in her city. 

The city has attempted to address violence with new initiatives like “Bleeding Control Kits” which equip certain buildings with things like gauze, gloves and instructions on how to use the supplies in “life threatening bleeding emergencies,” but violent crimes persist in the city.

The Chicago Police Department’s crime statistics show that the city has seen 2,772 shooting incidents in 2021. This figure exceeds the shooting incidents that had occurred in Chicago at the same time last year.

The Hill has reached out to Lightfoot’s office and Foxx’s office for further comment.