According to data from the city and Chicago Police Department, total violent crime is down at least 22% thus far in 2025, while there have been 90 fewer homicides and more than 400 fewer shootings compared to last year.

“This is an abomination. This is sinful. It’s unholy,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “This bill is a fundamental attack on our democracy and our way of life.”

According to the Chicago Police Department, 56% of homicide cases were cleared last year, but only 23% resulted in an arrest. Gun violence advocates say discrepancies in reporting and poor communication with victims is leaving survivors without badly needed answers.

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling promised to use the power to expand the city's curfew only preemptively, to prevent large teen gatherings from taking place. That goal is shared by Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has repeatedly questioned the constitutionality of the proposal.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois on Wednesday announced the expansion of its Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which combines the efforts of federal, state and local authorities to help stem violent crime.

According to Chicago Police Department data, there were 36 homicides recorded throughout May 2025, a total that’s down 38% compared to the same month last year and down nearly 50% compared to May 2023.

For decades, conservatives and liberals have fiercely debated what drives the nation’s gun violence epidemic. But a new book called “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence” says neither side has it right — and suggests a new pathway to stop these acts of violence before they start.

The 20 homicides recorded throughout the city last month were the fewest for any month in Chicago since February 2015 while marking the fewest for any April since 1962.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and other public officials lauded the program after a Northwestern University study found that specific “hotspots” where peacekeepers have been deployed have seen drops of more than 40% in gun violence.

In a rare rebuke of a Democrat-sponsored bill, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted against House Bill 3332, causing the bill to fail on a 49-51 vote. Bills require 60 votes to pass the House, and numerous Democrats voted against the bill or skipped the vote.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has removed the 2024 surgeon general’s advisory on gun violence from its website.

Twenty people were killed in the city last month, according to new preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Chicago Police Department. That marks a decline of 35% compared to February 2024.

Luv City focuses on youth violence prevention on Chicago’s West Side. Students delve into the world of digital media — learning about film production, editing, photography and acting.

Peacekeepers across the city play an important role in interrupting and preventing violent crime in neighborhoods. These leaders are strategizing and organizing in their communities every day to improve safety and make a difference.

Some officials are pushing for policies to address root causes of violence and help offenders repair their relationships with their communities.

Those who advocate for the restorative justice model say reducing the types of cases that are referred would cut back on the rehabilitation opportunities. The State’s Attorney’s Office says they prefer alternative approaches that move away from the peace circle and instead toward gun education and a path toward FOID cards.