Fifteen people were shot and one was killed during a gathering in Chicago's Washington Park, prompting criticism from a local pastor who described the incident as another instance of violence met with insufficient action from elected officials.
The shooting occurred late Saturday night when masked individuals opened fire on a crowd attending a reunion of former Robert Taylor Homes residents. Rontonio Guterz, a father of three, was among the victims, having been shot multiple times.
By the end of the weekend, Chicago had experienced over 40 shootings and three fatalities. Governor JB Pritzker stated on X that the Washington Park shooting had left the city in mourning and that gun violence is unacceptable. Mayor Brandon Johnson also released a statement on X addressing the impact of gun violence.
Pastor Corey Brooks, founder of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and Project H.O.O.D., expressed dismay not at the violence itself, but at what he perceives as a societal tolerance for it. He contrasted the reaction in Chicago to incidents in other parts of the country where a single death can spark widespread outcry and demands for change.
Brooks questioned the response from Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson, particularly in light of their public stances on issues such as Black Lives Matter and diversity initiatives. He stated that the lack of immediate consequences for the shooters and the perception of indifference from leaders suggest that the lives of the victims are not being valued equally.
"We have been trained into dystopian numbness, and this numbness is surrender," Brooks wrote in a commentary published by Fox News. He asserted that the community knows the underlying problems but has failed to address them. He also suggested that if a white shooter were involved, the response from leaders might be more vigorous.
Brooks emphasized that the focus should be on bringing criminals to justice rather than on race. He called for accountability and for leaders to confront the reality of street violence, urging citizens to demand justice, not just social or racial justice, if politicians prioritize politics over public safety.