Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson said Thursday 20 percent of last weekend's shooting victims were shot while at a street party and he believes cracking down on those gatherings will reduce the deadly violence.
A 17-year-old girl, Jahnae Patterson, was one of 12 people killed and 74 shot over one of the most violent weekends the city has seen.
"Our analysis shows us what drove last weekend's violence were shootings tied to large unsanctioned street parties," Johnson said.
He announced new emergency hotshot dispersal zones focusing on high crime districts.
"When police officers spot these large gatherings, we are going to ask individuals to move on, and if they refuse we’ll deal with them accordingly," he said.
Tanika Humphries wonders why it takes a dozens deaths for a different direction--including her daughter.
"You can’t tell me now that my baby was killed, now you want police to patrol, you should have been doing that, if you were my baby wouldn’t be gone," she said.
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Tio Hardiman is part of Violence Interrupters Inc.
"The parties are not the biggest problem, we’ve had over 500 killings every year in Chicago for the last 10 years," Hardiman said.
Johnson said the street party violence is fueled by gang rivalries and officers will be looking for drinking, drug use and loud music.
Police will order the party-goers to move on and if they don't they'll be arrested, he said.
