Over the weekend a Chicago police officer was murdered, shot to death, in the performance of her duty. Her partner is in critical condition. The editors of the Sun-Times declaim:
In an undated photo posted on Twitter, Chicago Police Officer Ella French is equipped with everything that should have protected her on Saturday night.
She is wearing a safety vest. She has a police radio attached to her uniform so she can call for backup. She has her gun strapped to her waist.
Most importantly, Officer French is wearing the insignia of the Chicago Police Department on her left sleeve, and that should have been enough. In a better world — a better city — that should have been the only armor she needed. It should have kept her safe.
It did not.
Officer French was shot and killed in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side about 9 p.m. on Saturday while making an apparently routine traffic stop. Another officer was shot, as well. He is fighting for his life, as we write this, in a hospital intensive care unit.
This city should be so ashamed of itself.
Today there is an enormous amount of finger-pointing going on regarding the incident. The mayor is blaming guns. To his credit our senior senator, Dick Durbin, pointed to gangs but also blamed guns. Chicago police officers blame the mayor. Some aldermen are blaming Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, I’ve heard at least one alderman blame the voters.
To date there have been 494 homicides in Chicago. Of those about a third were committed in three neighborhoods: Englewood, Garfield Park, and Austin. The murder of the officer took place in Englewood.
IMO thinking that guns are the problem and that can be solved by imposing tougher restrictions on their sale is a fantasy. We don’t know for certain but based on the FBI’s statistics something between 40% and 80% of all violent crimes are committed using guns obtained illegally. How will increasing that percentage reduce violent crime? That’s what will happen if the restrictions on firearm sales are tightened. The sad reality is that even in countries in which personal possession of firearms is illegal, people who want guns can get them. And that’s getting easier rather than harder.
That leaves the gangs. Until and unless the people of Englewood learn to trust and value the Chicago Police more than they do gang members, it will remain dangerous to patrol that neighborhood and other neighborhoods in which shootings are routine.
The Sovereign Citizens group were the big cop killers for a while. We had a near killing after a road rage incident. Are you sure it is gang related? Guns are a big part of the problem but there are too many to do much about it.
Steve
In Englewood? It’s a “think horses not zebras” kind of thing.
“Are you sure it is gang related?”
My god, man. Please tell me that was tongue in cheek. Please.
Have you ever been to Englewood, Austin or Garfield Park? See also the Lawndales or S Chicago. It ain’t W Michigan or Idaho.