At least 73 people were shot, 12 fatally, across Chicago during the weekend, according to reports, making it the bloodiest weekend in more than two years.
At least 12 people have been killed and dozens of others injured in a spate of shootings in Chicago over the past two days, prompting officials to call on community members to come forward to help police curb the rising gun crime across the city.
Police are blaming it mostly on gangs, saying they use large summer crowds as cover to shoot indiscriminately.
US President Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani have criticized the city’s Democratic mayor, Rahm Emanuel, over the gun violence issue.
Police insist the overall murder rate has gone down.
The recent shootings were worse than May’s Memorial Day holiday, which local media say is often one of the most violent weekends of the year.
Al Jazeera’s John Hendren reports from Chicago.