President Joe Biden offers to send 'strike force' to help Chicago violence crackdown

Diane Pathieu Image
Friday, July 9, 2021
Biden offers to send 'strike force' to help Chicago violence crackdown
We're hearing from Mayor Lightfoot the push to get more federal help in Chicago to deal with the gun violence.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- President Joe Biden has offered to send a "strike force" to Chicago to crack down on gun trafficking.

President Biden spoke with Mayor Lori Lightfoot on the tarmac at O'Hare Airport on Wednesday when Biden was in town to visit Crystal Lake.

"My hope and my expectation is that they're going to be coming relatively soon. I've made no secret of the fact that this is a matter of incredible urgency and I think the president's plan is to make a difference in localities like Chicago this summer," Mayor Lightfoot said.

While there have been talks about more help, the mayor said she did not ask the president to send federal troops to the city to address the violence. But she agreed something needs to be done soon.

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The plan comes as violence soars across the city, with over 100 shootings last weekend.

At about 1:22 a.m. Friday, one man was shot near Addison Street and Sacramento Avenue in the Irving Park neighborhood.

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The victim told police someone in a gray Lexus flashed gang signs at him before opening fire. He was grazed by a bullet in his head.

The mayor said she remains in contact with the White House in hopes of getting resources to the city soon.