View Chicago homicides map in a larger map
- RED DOTS: January
- BLUE DOTS: February
- GREEN DOTS: March
- YELLOW DOTS: April
- PURPLE DOTS: May
- PINK DOTS: June
- RED PUSHPINS: July
- BLUE PUSHPINS: August
- GREEN PUSHPINS: September
- YELLOW PUSHPINS: October
- PURPLE PUSHPINS: November
Data is based on preliminary police reports. Information subject to change.
November 5: The seven female homicide victims killed in the last week and a half represent 14 percent of all female homicide victims this year, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
On Sunday, a 16-year-old woman died from assault wounds while a 24-year-old woman was shot to death in Austin.
Last week, a 3-month-old Avalon Park girl died after child abuse; and a 32-year-old woman was beaten to death in Englewood. A 47-year-old woman was stabbed to death in Pullman; and a 46-year-old woman was shot to death in West Englewood. In Hermosa, a 22-year-old woman was found shot to death, according to information from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Citywide, October ended with 37 homicides, including a fatal car crash that killed two people in West Englewood. The driver in that crash initially was charged with reckless homicide. Chicago police recorded 46 murders in October last year.
So far in November, seven homicides have been recorded. Police logged 38 in November 2008.
October 29: Grand Boulevard, which includes part of Bronzeville, saw three homicides this week.
An 18-year-old man was shot to death in the 4200 block of South Prairie Avenue on Tuesday, according to preliminary police information.
On Sunday, a 44-year-old man was shot to death in the 4900 block of South Langley Avenue while a 25-year-old man was stabbed to death near 50th Street and South St. Lawrence Avenue, police said.
Grand Boulevard this year has seen nine homicides -- seven shootings, two stabbings, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data. All homicide victims were male, and eight of the nine homicides occurred in the last five months.
Citywide, there have been 33 homicides recorded so far this month, including a fatal car crash that killed two people in West Englewood. The driver in that crash was initially charged with reckless homicide. Chicago police recorded 46 murders in October 2008.
October 22: Two men in their 20s were shot to death this past week in South Chicago, which has recorded 15 homicides this year.
A 23-year-old man was shot and killed Oct. 15 in the 8100 block of South Manistee Avenue while a 21-year-old man was shot to death Monday in the 8000 block of South South Shore Drive, according to preliminary police reports.
South Chicago has logged 15 homicides this year, all shooting deaths, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found. The community area also has logged the city's only triple murder this year. Three teens were shot and killed in February at the corner of 87th Street and South Exchange Avenue.
Citywide, there have been 20 homicides recorded so far this month, including a fatal car crash that killed two people in West Englewood. The driver in that crash was initially charged with reckless homicide. Chicago police recorded 46 murders in October 2008.
October 15: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which typically shines a light on violence against women.
"Ninety-five percent of victims of domestic violence are women," said Cory Ryan, executive director of Connections for Abused Women and their Children, a domestic violence education group that runs a shelter for battered women.
In Chicago, there have been 43 female homicide victims from January through Oct. 7, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found. Last year, 11.5 percent of 511 murder victims were female, according to a Chicago Police Department report.
Domestic strife was a top motive for murder in Chicago last year behind gang violence and armed robbery.
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, RedEye analyzed information about the 43 female homicide victims in Chicago.
Of these victims:
>> 69 percent were black.
>> About one third were between the ages of 20 and 29 when they died.
>> About one in four were older than 40 when they died.
>> 48 percent were shot to death.
>> 16 percent were strangled to death.
>> Nearly 14 percent were stabbed to death.
>> Nearly 12 percent were killed in Austin, the most of any community area.
October 8: Fatal beatings are top of mind since the beating death of 16-year-old Derrion Albert in Roseland last month. The beating was captured on video and watched worldwide on the Internet.
This week, two men were beaten to death, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found. A 69-year-old Lincoln Square bar owner was beaten to death on Sunday, the same day a 48-year-old man was found beaten to death in an abandoned building in South Lawndale, according to news reports and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Assault is not a common method used to commit murders in Chicago. A Chicago Police Department report that analyzed murders in 2008 found 7 percent of 511 murder victims were beaten to death.
Citywide, there have been 10 homicides recorded so far this month, including a fatal car crash that killed two people in West Englewood. The driver in that crash was initially charged with reckless homicide. Chicago police recorded 46 homicides in October 2008.
October 1: Violence in Chicago has been top of mind in the wake of 16-year-old Derrion Albert's beating death in Roseland last week. Chicago police recorded 12 homicides in the last week but the total number of murders this year, to date, is down about 12 percent compared to January through September 2008.
September ended with 41 homicides, including a fatal car crash in which the driver was initially charged with reckless homicide, as of Wednesday afternoon. Chicago police recorded 54 homicides in September 2008.
Four community areas - Austin, Brighton Park, East Garfield Park and South Lawndale - saw two homicides this last week.
Four homicides occurred in the 24th Ward, which includes North Lawndale and parts of Austin, West Garfield Park and East Garfield Park. A RedEye analysis of preliminary police data from January through September found the 24th Ward has recorded 23 homicides, the most of any ward.
Ald. Sharon Dixon, who represents the 24th Ward, said her ward is underdeveloped and the way to stop the violence is "to bring opportunities. You have to bring growth."
September 29: Derrion Albert was just one of six teenagers who were murdered from Thursday through Sunday, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
Eleven teenagers - 10 males and one female - have been homicide victims this month, RedEye found. Ten of these victims were shot to death, while Albert was beaten to death, information from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office showed.
Teenagers have accounted for about 30 percent of the homicide victims so far this month, a rise from 14 percent in August and 23 percent in July.
September 24: Chicago saw two double homicide cases this week--one in North Lawndale and one in Albany Park.
A couple was found shot to death Tuesday night in the 2200 block of South Kildare Avenue, according to information from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. This was the first double homicide case in North Lawndale this year, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found.
Meanwhile, Albany Park this week saw its third double homicide case of the year, RedEye found.
A 19-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were shot to death Monday in the 3500 block of West Sunnyside Avenue.
In May, two men were fatally shot in an Albany Park alley. In January, a woman and her 7-year-old daughter died in an arson fire in their Albany Park apartment.
Albany Park has seen eight homicides so far this year, the most of a community area on the Northwest Side.
Citywide, Chicago police have recorded 27 homicides so far this month, including an auto crash in which a driver was charged with reckless homicide. Police logged 54 homicides in September 2008.
September 17: Auburn Gresham saw two homicides last week, according to RedEye's analysis of preliminary police data.
A 20-year-old man was shot to death in the 7900 block of South Paulina Street on Sept. 10. A body, wrapped in plastic, was found the same day in the 8900 block of South May Street. The body was later identified as a 27-year-old man who died of gunshot wounds.
Auburn Gresham has seen three homicides this month and 12 for the year, RedEye found.
"Any shooting, any homicide is unacceptable," said Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina church in Auburn Gresham. "The problem we're dealing with is bigger than the gang thing. It's easy access to guns; it's the economy; it's bad liquor stores and businesses that attract wrong stuff."
Citywide, 16 homicides have been recorded so far this month. Chicago police logged 54 homicides in September 2008.
September 10: Summer unofficially ended the way it started--with four murders.
The Labor Day weekend, from Friday evening through Monday evening, and Memorial Day weekend each saw four homicides, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
On Saturday, a man was beaten to death in Woodlawn. Sunday saw a fatal stabbing in South Lawndale, a fatal shooting in South Shore and a car crash kill a pedestrian in Calumet Heights.
During Memorial Day weekend, four men were shot to death in West Englewood, North Lawndale, Greater Grand Crossing and Archer Heights.
Chicago police have recorded six murders so far in September. Police logged 54 murders in September 2008.
September 3: The news has been grim for South Shore.
The community area has seen four shooting deaths since Aug. 27, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data. A total of seven homicides were recorded in South Shore in August, which represents 14 percent of the city's homicide toll for the month, RedEye found.
The deaths bring South Shore's homicide count for the year to 14.
Chicago Police spokesman Roderick Drew said the police department plans to ramp up its efforts in South Shore "because we are constantly reviewing crime reduction strategies and manpower deployment citywide in response to crime trends. At the end of the day our goal is to ensure the safety of residents, and even one homicide is too many for us."
Citywide, August ended this week with 49 homicides, including one case of reckless homicide in an automobile crash. Chicago police recorded 49 homicides in August 2008.
So far this year, police have logged about 10 percent fewer homicides than the same period last year. Police recorded 54 homicides in September 2008.
August 27: South Chicago saw two homicides in a 12-hour-period this week, according to police information.
A 29-year-old man was shot to death Tuesday evening in the 2600 block of East 87th Street. Hours later and a few blocks away, a 39-year-old man was shot to death.
South Chicago has seen 12 homicides this year, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data. The community area is one of about a dozen areas that have logged 10 or more homicides this year.
There have been 42 homicides recorded in Chicago so far this month, RedEye found. Chicago police logged 49 murders in August 2008.
August 20: Chicago saw its second double homicide case of the month last week, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police information.
Two men in their 20s were shot to death in the South Shore neighborhood on Aug. 13. A couple was shot to death five days earlier in Roseland.
Prior to that, the last double homicide case was July 5, when two men were shot to death in Woodlawn. There have been 11 double homicide cases so far this year, and one triple homicide case (three teenagers shot to death in South Chicago in February), RedEye found.
There were 18 homicide cases with multiple victims in 2008, a police spokeswoman told RedEye earlier this year.
This month, 33 homicides have been recorded. Chicago police logged 49 murders in August 2008.
August 13: In separate incidents, four women have been strangled to death since Aug. 3, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found.
The victims were: An unknown female in her 20s found dead Aug. 3 in the East Side neighborhood; a 25-year-old woman found dead Aug. 5 in Dunning; a 36-year-old woman found dead Aug. 6 in Auburn Gresham; and a 57-year-old woman found dead Sunday in South Deering, according to information from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
These incidents are "definitely, absolutely not related," Chicago News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak told RedEye.
Strangulation is not a common method of killing in Chicago. Only eight of the 511 murders last year stemmed from strangulation, according to a Chicago Police Department report.
This month, 22 homicides have been recorded. Chicago police logged 49 murders in August 2008.
August 12: Karl Bell typically chokes up when he passes the intersection of Augusta Boulevard and Parkside Avenue in Austin.
That's where Bell's younger brother, Andre, was shot and killed in 1980, two months before his 22nd birthday, Bell said.
Bell, 49, found out about the attack while he was in prison, charged with involuntary manslaughter. Nearly three decades later, including about 20 years behind bars, Bell walks to that same intersection with a message of peace.
Once an active gang leader in Austin, he is now the Austin outreach supervisor for the anti-violence group CeaseFire and its community group partner Youth Outreach Services. He regularly canvasses the neighborhood to mediate conflicts, check up on known violent offenders and pass out T-shirts, bumper stickers and dog tags with CeaseFire's anti-violence slogans.
Bell typically travels the neighborhood in a group. But lately he has been walking alone.
CeaseFire has been in limbo for the last six weeks. When the group lost its state funding--which accounted for 85 percent of its budget--in the spending plan approved by the General Assembly last month, it was forced to lay off 150 workers, including all of its outreach workers. That has left only 20 violence interrupters to work the streets since July, said Tio Hardiman, CeaseFire Illinois director.
But good news came two weeks ago: Gov. Quinn announced CeaseFire would be receiving most of its state funding. The group is set to get $5.6 million, down from the $6.2 million it typically receives. Bell is hopeful the Austin office will reopen by Sept. 1 after CeaseFire rehires some of its workers.
CeaseFire is not alone in struggling to save its programs, staff and mission. Amid hard times for state-funded groups, anti-violence leaders who talked to RedEye said a decrease in government support and contributions from individuals has hurt their groups' presence in violence-prone neighborhoods at a time of year they're needed most.
Fifty-eight homicides were recorded in July, the most of any month this year, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data. While that's down from the 64 murders Chicago police logged last July, the numbers tend to rise in the summer, when kids are out of school, Chicago police statistics show.
July historically has been such a grisly month, Phillip Jackson dubs it "Hell Month." Jackson runs The Black Star Project, a Bronzeville-based group that walks through the South and West Sides handing out "Peace in the Hood" T-shirts and wristbands and placing posters in store windows. The group also hosts workshops for parents and teens on how to reduce risk factors for violence, such as dealing with anger in a constructive manner.
Black Star also is seeing its monetary support wane, and the group has had to lay off three workers this summer, Jackson said.
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy director Phillip Hampton, who took over the community policing organization in mid-July, said groups such as Black Star "are clearly our partners."
"They're very important to us holistically. The police can definitely not do it alone," Hampton said. "CAPS program, too, has suffered cuts, as has any city agency. ... We're concerned about the overall impact it will have on our efforts to have a vibrant and safe community."
In stating his case for the need for government support, Hardiman points to August 2007, when former Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed money for CeaseFire. The loss of state funding came at about the time the Illinois auditor general criticized CeaseFire for poor accounting methods.
State Sen. Donne Trotter, who represents southeast Chicago and the south suburbs, also has criticized CeaseFire. Trotter told RedEye CeaseFire should share its funding with other anti-violence groups, which typically don't get nearly as much money as CeaseFire. "We have allowed this one approach the exclusive rights to try to make a difference in the community," said Trotter, the lead budget negotiator for Senate Democrats. "There are other approaches that have to be recognized."
In May 2008, a three-year Northwestern University study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that gun violence dropped 17 to 24 percent in six of seven neighborhoods that received CeaseFire services.
On a recent canvass in Austin, Bell, the outreach supervisor, encountered Andre Chatman, 18, whom CeaseFire has been counseling for a few months after he was arrested on a weapons violation charge.
"I'd probably still be getting into trouble if they're not around," Chatman said. "We would have no people to guide us."
Other groups hope they'll be able to keep their services intact. Build, Inc., based in West Town, provides homework assistance and tutoring help to six high schools and 20 elementary schools with high-risk youth.
Because of decreased assistance from the government and United Way, Build, Inc., instituted furlough days for its staff from February through June, development director Amber Mandley said. Salaries were frozen July 1.
Black Star's Jackson said such cuts could lead to a rise in violence.
"These groups are basically the front-line fighters of the violence, but they're being left out there with no resources, with no support and they are going to go away," Jackson said. "There is no way that the police by themselves can stop or control the violence that is happening in these communities."
August 6: Three community areas -- two on the West Side and one on the South Side -- each recorded two homicides this past week.
An 18-year-old woman died after the car she was riding in Saturday was rammed by another vehicle in Humboldt Park, police said. A 52-year-old man was shot in the neighborhood on Tuesday. Humboldt Park has now seen 11 homicides this year, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
The community area east of Humboldt Park, West Town, saw two shooting deaths Sunday. Eight homicides have now been recorded in West Town.
Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man was shot to death Saturday in Greater Grand Crossing on the South Side. A 54-year-old man was stabbed to death there last week. Greater Grand Crossing has now seen 12 homicides this year.
July ended last week with 58 homicides, down from 64 murders logged in July 2008. Ten homicides have been recorded so far this month. Chicago police logged 49 murders in August 2008.
July 30: Chicago's homicide toll for the year surpassed 250 last weekend, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
Chicago has logged 258 homicides through Wednesday afternoon. Chicago police recorded 295 murders from January through July last year.
RedEye's count, which is based on Cook County Medical Examiner findings, includes five cases in which automobile drivers have been charged with reckless homicide. It does not include police-involved fatal shootings.
Austin logged two homicides in the past seven days, bringing its 2009 homicide toll to 27. Austin, the largest community area in the city, has recorded the most murders of any community area.
Overall, 53 homicides have been logged this month. Chicago police recorded 64 murders last July, the deadliest month of 2008.
July 23: Last week was a deadly week in West Town, which includes Bucktown, Wicker Park and the Ukrainian Village.
A 50-year-old Texas man was found beaten to death in West Town on Monday, his birthday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office records. The man was discovered in the 700 block of North Throop Street.
On Thursday, a 22-year-old man was stabbed to death in West Town while a 20-year-old man died hours after he was shot in the 1100 block of North Wood Street.
The deaths brought West Town's 2009 murder toll to six, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
Overall, there have been 41 murders so far this month. Chicago police recorded 64 murders last July, the deadliest month of 2008.
July 16: Fatal beatings are on the rise this month.
Three men and one woman died from wounds sustained after they were assaulted this past week, according to RedEye's analysis of preliminary police data.
The beatings occurred in the Near West Side, South Lawndale, West Garfield Park and West Town. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 82.
There have been five fatal beatings so far in July, RedEye has found. There were a total of five deadly assaults in the six months prior.
Thirty-six of the 511 homicide victims last year were beaten to death, according to a Chicago Police Department report. Assault was the third most common cause of death behind fatal shootings (412) and stabbings (45).
July 9: Sunday was the deadliest day of the year, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
Six men, ranging in age from 21 to 35, were shot to death Sunday. A 29-year-old woman was found strangled in an alley Sunday morning.
They were killed in Chatham, East Garfield Park, Grand Boulevard, New City, West Pullman and Woodlawn.
Overall, 18 homicides have been recorded this month, most of them on the South Side.
To compare, 18 homicides were recorded for all of March 2009.
East Garfield Park, Grand Boulevard, West Englewood and Woodlawn each have logged two homicides this month.
Two men also died this week after they were shot in June. June ended with 45 homicides, down from 52 murders in June 2008.
Chicago police recorded 64 murders last July, the deadliest month of 2008.
July 2: Chicago's homicide toll for the year surpassed 200 this week, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data.
Chicago logged 202 homicides for the first six months of the year, down from 231 murders during the same period last year.
RedEye's count, which is based on Cook County Medical Examiner findings, includes four cases in which automobile drivers have been charged with reckless homicide. It does not include police-involved fatal shootings.
RedEye's analysis found for January through June:
>> 88 percent of victims were male.
>> 78 percent of victims were black.
>> 44 percent of victims were between the ages of 20 and 30.
>> 84 percent of victims were shot to death.
>> Austin, the city's largest community area, has logged 22 homicides, the most of any community area. Humboldt Park, West Englewood and Greater Grand Crossing each have logged 10 homicides.
>> May was the deadliest month, with 49 homicides.
Last year, Chicago police recorded 64 murders in July, the deadliest month of 2008.
