Chicago, Illinois, experienced a violent Fourth of July holiday weekend, with shootings resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals and injuries to 36 others. Conflicting reports suggest the toll could be as high as eight fatalities and 55 wounded. The incidents began on Thursday evening, July 3, 2025, and persisted through early Monday morning, particularly impacting neighborhoods on the South and West Sides.
The initial shooting occurred around 5 p.m. Thursday, involving a 49-year-old man on East Kensington Avenue. He managed to drive himself to Roseland Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition.
Later that evening, a 40-year-old man was shot in the thigh while inside a car on East 117th Street. He also self-transported to medical care.
By 9 p.m., police responded to several incidents. A 36-year-old man was shot multiple times on North Hamlin Avenue and taken to Stroger Hospital. In a separate occurrence, a 33-year-old man was injured in the abdomen during a dispute on South Wallace Avenue.
Overnight Friday, the violence intensified. A 47-year-old man was shot while cycling on West Cermak Road. Subsequently, a 20-year-old driver near South Harvard Avenue was grazed in the eye during an altercation with occupants of two other vehicles.
Shortly after 2 a.m., a 52-year-old man was found unresponsive on West 62nd Place, having been shot by two men who approached on foot. He was declared dead at the scene. Less than four hours later, a 31-year-old man was critically injured by a gunshot to the neck on North Cicero Avenue.
Friday evening saw further violence, with a man shot in the hand near South Justine Street and a woman shot in the foot on North Springfield Avenue. Additional incidents occurred on South Yale Avenue and South Bishop Street, resulting in gunshot injuries to the thigh and chest, respectively.
A significant incident transpired around 11:11 p.m. Friday on South Justine Street, where two men opened fire on a group, injuring seven people aged 21 to 42. Three victims were hospitalized in serious condition, with the others listed from critical to serious condition, according to police.
Less than an hour later, a 16-year-old girl was shot in the throat on East 83rd Street and pronounced dead at Jackson Park Hospital. A man nearby was also shot in the thigh but survived.
The violence persisted into Saturday. Around midnight, a 37-year-old man was shot in the forearm on South Ashland Avenue. Later, three men were critically injured when a dark SUV drove by them on South California Boulevard and someone fired into their parked vehicle.
By Sunday morning, the shootings had extended to nearly all corners of the city. A 41-year-old man was shot in the chest by a suspect on a motorbike on East 60th Street. Hours later, a 19-year-old man was shot multiple times in the chest and leg while inside a vehicle on South Brennan Avenue.
Victims ranged in age from 16 to 52, according to authorities. Police Superintendent Larry Snelling described the incidents as “a senseless display of violence,” and indicated an increase in patrols in high-risk areas.
Although the number of shootings was lower than during the same period in 2023, when 19 were killed and 87 injured, city leaders stated the numbers remain unacceptable. Mayor Brandon Johnson, addressing the situation, expressed frustration and anger over the violence.
Many cases remain under investigation with no arrests reported. Authorities urge those with information to come forward.
The Chicago Police Department is collaborating with community organizations and federal agencies to address the increase in violence often seen during summer and holidays.
Shootings affected nearly every side of Chicago, highlighting the extensive impact of gun violence on residents and their families.
