President Donald Trump is encouraging Illinois Governor JB Pritzker after a weekend of violence in Chicago in which 39 people were shot, and six people were killed. The violence includes a mass shooting on Friday night in the city, which left 14 injured victims. Trump posted his message urging Pritzker to ask for help on his Truth Social account early Tuesday morning. It was the second time in two days that the president mentioned the violent weekend in Chicago.
“At least 39 people injured, 4 dead, in Chicago weekend shootings,” Trump posted. “Governor Pritzker, I, as President, can fix this, FAST and Permanently. D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, all down to record lows, and quickly! CALL ME! President DJT.”
Friday’s shooting drew national attention as the shootings occurred on the Juneteenth holiday in the city. Police said that a red SUV drove to a large group of people gathered on Chicago’s South Side when two people from the car started firing into the crowd. Victims ranged from 17 to 47 years old, CBS News reported.
Irion Meadows, a violence prevention advocate in the city, was distributing literature to homes in the area when he heard the gunfire. He expressed disappointment over news of the violence, especially since it happened on Juneteenth.
“As you can see, I’m dressed in my Juneteenth attire,” Meadows told CBS News. “It was just a lot of bop bop bop bop.”
“It does a disservice to the community and what Juneteenth is supposed to stand for,” added Meadows.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke about the mass shooting during a Juneteenth Day of Action event held on Saturday in the city.
“Last night was another reminder of how much work we still have to do to the lives who have been impacted by gun violence,” said Johnson. “As a father, as a husband, as a brother, as a cousin, just as a resident, it is heartbreaking. It’s difficult to even digest and consume.”
“There are too many families that have experienced loss in this city,” added Chicago’s mayor.
AT LEAST 12 SHOT AFTER SUV PULLS UP AND OPENS FIRE ON A CROWD, CHICAGO POLICE SAY
Trump initially commented on Chicago’s violent weekend with a Sunday morning Truth Social post. As he did on Tuesday, Trump appealed for Pritzker to contact him to help curb the violence in the city, touting his previous success in deploying the National Guard to Washington, D.C. to help with crime.
“Lots of Killing going on in Chicago,” Trump posted on Sunday. “22 people shot, at least 4 Dead. Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!! D.C. went from one of the worst, to one of the safest cities in the U.S.”
As of early Tuesday morning, none of Pritzker’s social media accounts acknowledged Trump’s posts or the violent Juneteenth weekend in his state’s largest city.