The uptick in violence in Chicago led members of City Council’s Black Caucus to call for Police Supt. Garry McCarthy to step down Monday. Meanwhile, members of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, led by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., called on the White House to declare a state of emergency over gun violence. NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern reports.
Chicago's Black Caucus called for the firing of Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy on Monday.
Fifteen members from the city’s Black Caucus appeared at City Hall for a press conference where they demanded Chicago's top cop be fired.
"Supt. McCarthy has had five years, he has failed," said Ald. Roderick, chairman of the Black Caucus.
The news conference was the first of its kind since Mayor Rahm Emanuel was elected.
The aldermen that appeared at City Hall included Ald. Roderick T. Sawyer, Ald. Pat Dowell, Ald. Leslie Hairston, Ald. Greg Mitchell, Ald. Michelle Harris, Ald. Anthony Beale, Ald. Toni Foulkes, Ald. David Moore, Ald. Willie Cochran, Ald. Harold Brookin, Ald. Michael Scott, Ald. Jason Ervin, Ald. Chris Taliaferro, Ald. Carrie Austin and Ald. Emma Mitts.
The members pointed to the city's gun violence and the 20 percent increase in shootings so far this year.
"My constituents get sick and tired of hearing about statistics and no action," said Ald. Carrie Austin.
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McCarthy has held the top spot for five years. Moments before the news conference, McCarthy announced the retirement of his trusted second-in-command, Alfonza Wysinger. Wysinger is the highest-ranking African American in the Chicago Police Department.
McCarthy addressed the city's violence issue last week, after 14 people were shot within 15 hours.
"Chicago’s got to wake up," he said. "We’ve got to stop saying it’s OK to have 30, 40, 50 people shot over a weekend. Oh my god look we’re setting records... The number one issue in the city of Chicago should be gun violence because as the mayor rightfully points out, a shooting in Englewood should affect people in Ravenswood, it should affect people in Sauganash, it should affect people in Edgewater, it should affect people across the city of Chicago and we need to do something about it."
Last month, the New York Times reported Chicago saw the sixth highest murder rate increase so far this year when compared with other U.S. cities. The report indicated the city had 294 murders by the end of August, a 20 percent increase from 2014. According to Chicago police data, that number rose to 349 as of Sept. 20, up 21 percent from the year before.
McCarthy claimed that police are making arrests for illegal guns, but said the penalties for shooting convictions aren't enough to stop the city's violence.
Despite the violent end to summer, fewer people were reportedly shot last weekend than any since February.
The City Council is set to conduct its budget hearings this week and McCarthy is scheduled to appear before the council Tuesday to discuss his crime strategy.
The mayor's office said in a statement that it "supports the work and commitment of Superintendent McCarthy and the 12,500 sworn men and women of the Chicago Police Department."
"While the mayor shares the concerns about rising gun violence, our focus must remain on the public safety challenge we face – reducing access to the illegal guns that drive the violence in our communities," the statement continued. "Together, we must demand better state and federal laws to support the efforts of our police and residents in the fight against gun violence."
