(WTTW News)

The number of people shot across Chicago in May rose compared to the same month last year following a violent Memorial Day weekend, but the total number of homicides in 2023 remains below the pace of other recent years, according to police data.

The Chicago Police Department on Thursday published new crime statistics, which show that 229 people have been killed in the city year-to-date. That total is down about 9% from the same time last year (when there were 253 homicides) and down about 12% compared to 2021.

“I am grateful to once again work with the brave men and women who have committed themselves to protecting all Chicagoans,” interim Police Superintendent Fred Waller said in a statement. “As we head into summer, we will continue forging strong bonds in the communities we serve and working together to make our city safer for everyone.”

The 62 homicides recorded in May mark the fewest in the city for that month since 2019.

Thus far in 2023, there have been 909 shootings, which marks a 6% decline over last year, but the number of shootings in May alone (266) is actually up approximately 4% compared to the same month last year.

That rise was partially driven by a violent holiday weekend in which more than 50 people were shot and 11 were killed by gunfire across the city. According to police data, 325 people were shot in total in Chicago across the month of May. Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement Tuesday called that violence “intolerable.”

Police officers have recovered more than 5,000 illegal firearms so far this year, an increase of more than 7% over this time last year. That figure includes more than 450 assault weapons — a total that’s 14% above last year’s pace.

The department also said violent crime and overall crime along the CTA are both down 10% year-to-date, while vehicular hijackings are down nearly 29%.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431