Averting mass shootings is possible, and it begins with fixing families
With over 100 shootings in Chicago and 19 homicides over the extended Fourth of July weekend, it is impossible, one would think, to shove such violence under the rug. Nevertheless, that is precisely not only what some would want to do, but what has happened.
To address this matter with the clarity it deserves, it is helpful to start with what is widely considered the definition of a mass shooting. The FBI classifies such an event as any single incident that results in four or more shooting victims. More explicitly, a mass shooting is an incident of targeted violence conducted by one or more shooters at one or more public or populated locations. It can also include multiple victims suffering injuries and/or fatalities associated with the specific attack, which typically lasts only a few minutes.
Over this Fourth of July weekend, two NASCAR races were held in the streets of downtown Chicago. This event, if you watched it, depicted background scenes of the City of Chicago's beautiful urban landscape, including Buckingham Fountain, scenes along the lakefront, many of the city's museums, and shots of The Bean and other public venues where people were out enjoying themselves. All while, Chicago experienced record-setting shootings and homicides within a short period. Nationwide, there were more than 80 mass shootings over the last three years, just between the dates of July 1 and July 7; these numbers indicate what we know, that this is one of the most violent periods of the year when it comes to gun violence.
However, if you watched the NASCAR event, you would think Chicago's holiday weekend was idyllic, excellent, and safe — which was invalid. You did not see any shots of the West or South sides of Chicago, ambulances pulling into emergency rooms one after another, police officers marking off sidewalks and streets with crime scene tape, and officers kneeling, taking photographs, and collecting forensic evidence at these shooting scenes. Death by gun violence certainly was not visible on the news or in the NASCAR weekend national report.
If it feels to you like these mass shootings are becoming increasingly frequent, not only in Chicago but in the U.S., that is because they are becoming more prevalent. Mass shootings have taken place in large metropolitan cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia, as well as in small, rural communities such as Florence, Kentucky, and Arkabutla, Mississippi. Undoubtedly, they constitute a public safety and a public health emergency.
The fact that in Chicago and broader Illinois, gun violence and mass shootings are not treated as a public health crisis is shameful. Our elected officials put forth no emergency. News consumers have witnessed numerous times when many media organizations will break into scheduled programming to cover an event of police officers being involved in shootings. It will lead off the nightly news as the first story, and the media will even put out news alerts when police officers are involved in shootings. However, the same certainly did not happen this past weekend in Chicago.
If you think this is only an epidemic in major metropolitan areas, you need to look no further than the mass shooting that took place in unincorporated Willowbrook in 2022. In that incident, during a Juneteenth celebration, 23 individuals were shot, and one was killed. What are some of the common trends in these mass shootings? There are several: Most shootings occur around some celebration or street party; alcohol is always involved; and these incidents often take place at a public venue, whether a street concert or other type of concert venue. Almost all of the shooters are male, and many of them are gang-related or else seeking retaliation for a previously perceived "disrespect." Many shootings involve automatic weapons, semi-automatic weapons, and even fully converted automatic weapons. Sadly, children, too, are not spared. When an indiscriminate shooting takes place, there have been numerous incidents where small children have been shot and killed. The innocent victims often have absolutely nothing to do with the individual who was the intended target. When police arrive, the shooter or shooters have always fled from the scene.
What can we do to stop or at least slow these incidents? These are questions for which there are no easy answers. However, one concern that needs to be addressed and openly discussed is the issue of the responsibility of parents, grandparents, or caregivers. There is no getting around it; parenting and caregiving play a significant role in providing a moral and ethical environment for young people to grow. We must actively foster our children's development, growth, and moral compass; responsible adults are needed to model the way. While some organizations can help, such as church organizations and other faith and community groups, the responsibility of leadership lies within the purview of the family.
The police are not the only answer to preventing gun violence or mass shootings. While police play an essential role, it is typically in investigations, follow-ups, arrest situations, and providing resources for families who need assistance and guidance. While gun laws play a part, these usually do not function as a significant deterrent. Illinois has one of the strictest sets of gun regulations in America, yet we continue to experience incidents in which escalating numbers of people are being injured or killed in street gun violence.
Final thought: If we want to address violent crime and the epidemic of shootings and mass shootings, policymakers need to seek advice and strategies from the people who can provide valuable input into finding solutions to reducing the violence in our streets. We need to work together with the patrol officers, beat police officers, and the individuals who are working the street day in and day out. Not only do they see what is going on, but many of them have tremendous insight as to what could be done to reduce or eliminate this growing epidemic of violence.
Too often, we rely on administrators, politicians, and other executive-level individuals to be the sole resource for what needs to be done, what innovative programs must be initiated, and the best strategies to be utilized.
Those days are over, and we need to look to police officers who are out there daily dealing with this situation to help us solve the short-term issues and find long-term solutions. These men and women are experienced and talented, and we should not doubt the insight they can provide to solve some of these issues will be invaluable. We must put our egos aside and look to those doing the job for life-saving solutions.
Thomas Weitzel retired from the Riverside, Illinois, Police Department in May of 2021 after 37 years in law enforcement and 13 years as Chief of Police. Opinions are his own. He can be reached at tqweitzel@outlook.com, or on X @chiefweitzel.
