Fatal Shooting Of 9-Year-Old Boy Caps Violent Month In Chicago, Mayor Responds

A 9-year old boy was fatally shot while on his way to his friend’s house on the last day of July, capping a violent month in Chicago, where the murder rate jumped substantially compared to last year.

At about 6 p.m. on Friday, Janari Andre Ricks went to borrow a game controller from a friend when he was shot multiple times on Chicago’s North Side. He was pronounced dead at Lurie Children’s hospital, CNN reports.

“It’s senseless, I’m still lost,” Raymond Ricks, the boy’s father, told CNN on Saturday. “He was everything. He was an inspiration behind all kids around in the community. Sports, anything, he would tell you stats from back in the day about everybody. He was a genius.”

July was a particularly violent month for Chicago, with 573 shot, at least 58 of whom were minors, with the youngest shooting victim, a 3-year-old girl who was shot in the head on July 22 while riding in her family’s car. The Chicago Sun-Times reported 105 murders for the month in July— a 139% increase over the 44 murders reported last year, according to police.

Last month saw a bloody Fourth of July weekend, with 79 people shot, 15 of them fatally. Outside a funeral for a drive-by victim, 15 people were shot in another drive-by.

Chicago has seen a 51% increase in murders and a 47% increase in shooting victims when compared to the same time period last year, but crime has decreased by 9% overall, showing the city has made some progress.

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot tweeted about the 9-years-old death and gun violence in Chicago.

“When a 9 year old’s life is ended by a bullet, we must all be outraged. These deaths are not mere statistics. And prayers alone will not sooth a broken heart,” Lightfoot tweeted.

Lightfoot continued, “How many more families must be torn apart? How many more communities need to be traumatized? How many more children have to die? We’ve had to write these words far too many times just this summer alone. Gun violence is every bit a public health crisis as COVID-19.”

“It’s well past time that we as a nation begin aggressively treating it through wraparound services, mental health supports and street outreach interventions, support for our community police officers, and—yes—federal gun control to keep firearms from falling into the wrong hands. While our City has made progress in reducing violence in recent weeks, all of that is lost when we lose another child to gun violence. We must and will hold those responsible for this shooting accountable. I ask all residents with information on this incident to submit a tip anonymously at CPDtip.com.”

When a 9 year old's life is ended by a bullet, we must all be outraged. These deaths are not mere statistics. And prayers alone will not sooth a broken heart.

— Archived: Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot (@mayorlightfoot) August 1, 2020