CHICAGO — At least 276 children aged 16 and younger have been shot across Chicago between January 2021 and early 2022, according to a CBS analysis of police data. The tragic number includes 43 children under the age of 13, underscoring a violent crisis that continues to impact some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, shows that some neighborhoods are far more affected than others, with Black and Latino communities bearing the brunt.
Neighborhoods Most Impacted by Gun Violence
Among all areas in the city, Englewood ranked the highest for child shooting victims, with 35 young people shot. It was followed by:
- Garfield Park – 24 victims
- North Lawndale – 21 victims
- Little Village – 13 victims
The report from CBS Chicago emphasized that Little Village—a largely Latino neighborhood—continues to grieve recent tragedies like the murder of 8-year-old Melissa Ortega, who was shot at 26th Street and Pulaski Road.
Community Leaders Demand Mental Health Resources
“This won’t be the last time you come out here,” said Chella Garcia of the Little Village Community Council, after Ortega’s death. Garcia, herself a parent, described the daily fear of walking outside with her daughter.
“We live in a traumatized community. Everyone has PTSD,” she said, calling for more mental health clinics in areas affected by ongoing violence…