A week after Gov. JB Pritzker declared gun violence a public health crisis, shootings continue to spike, especially on Chicago-area expressways. A local pastor says more should be done to tackle the problem. NBC 5’s Chris Hush reports.
Two people were shot and wounded on the Dan Ryan Expressway early Friday — the 233rd shooting on Chicago area expressways this year.
The shooting happened around 2 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 94 near 75th Street, according to Illinois State Police.
A 45-year-old male driver and a 39-year-old female passenger self-transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, state police said. Northbound lanes were closed for two hours while troopers investigated.
Expressway shootings in Chicago have more than doubled over last year. The year-to-date total of 233 reported shootings or reports of gunfire this year already eclipses 2020’s year-end total of 128 shootings.
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In late September, state police said they would increase overnight patrols in response to the rise in shootings.
Illinois State Police received $12.5 million earlier this year to install high-definition cameras to help investigate and deter expressway shootings.
