President Trump criticized Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Sunday for the rising violence in Chicago, following a weekend that saw at least five fatalities and 22 injuries. Reports indicate the bloodshed was sparked by a shooting during Juneteenth celebrations late Friday, injuring at least 12 individuals, according to the Chicago police.
The incident occurred in the Princeton Park neighborhood around 11 p.m., when two suspects in a red SUV opened fire on a crowd before fleeing the scene. Police found a 32-year-old woman shot twice in the back and a 44-year-old man who had been grazed by bullets. Both were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
Additional victims included a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old woman, both with thigh injuries, as well as a 32-year-old man who suffered a head wound.
Authorities reported one other critical case involving a 26-year-old man. Despite ongoing violence, President Trump held Pritzker accountable for not managing the situation effectively.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump remarked, “There’s a lot of murder going on in Chicago… Why doesn’t Governor Pritzker ask me for help?” He claimed that with his involvement, Chicago could become a safer city within a year, highlighting his administration’s previous success in reducing violence in Washington, D.C.
Chicago’s homicide rate has increased by 8% this year compared to 2025; however, it remains down 35% from four years ago, as per the Chicago Police Department statistics. The mass shooting during Juneteenth was only part of a series of tragic incidents that weekend.
A drive-by shooting earlier in the West Pullman neighborhood resulted in the death of a 29-year-old man and injuries to an elderly bystander. Additionally, three other men—ages 33, 34, and 50—were killed in separate shootings on Friday night.
Early Saturday, a 37-year-old man was shot and killed in Bridgeport. Reports noted that at least 10 individuals were injured by gunfire over a tumultuous 24-hour period between Friday and Saturday nights.
Pritzker, who issued a statement regarding Father’s Day, did not comment on the recent violence when contacted by The Sunday Post.
