When it comes to Chicago and crime, perception isn’t always reality.
At times, 2025 brought deadly chaos to Chicago’s shimmering downtown: An 18-victim mass shooting in River North, the worst the city’s seen in years. The annual Christmas tree lighting marred by two more shootings, including the murder of a teen boy. A young woman from Indiana set on fire while riding the CTA Blue Line through the Loop.
Those crimes were red meat for those who revel in the city’s reputation as a lawless wasteland helmed by liberal politicians. But despite the headline-grabbing mayhem — which often distracts from the day-to-day violence that plays out in poorer neighborhoods across the city — in 2025 Chicago’s gun violence fell to levels not seen in a decade…