Gunfire scarred Chicago’s neighborhoods during Memorial Day weekend 2025, a grim ritual matched by the media’s haste to spin the bloodshed. As of 2:48 PM CDT, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the holiday’s toll is still unfolding, underscoring the need for unflinching reporting over narrative gloss.
Preliminary Chicago Police Department data counts 5 killed and 24 wounded in 21 shootings from May 23 to May 26, with additional homicides on May 27, including a 38-year-old on South Ashland and a 42-year-old on South Springfield. Independent crime monitors like http://HeyJackass.com confirm these figures, noting a dip from the 2015–2024 Memorial Day average of 10 killed and 44 wounded.
Yet, this decline offers little solace to residents enduring relentless violence, and critics warn that trumpeting lower numbers buries systemic failures.
Before final tallies were set, Chicago Tribune reporter Jake Sheridan claimed online that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s tenure saw fewer shootings and murders than his predecessors, crediting a national crime drop. National data shows a 3% decline in violent crime in 2024, but a September 2024 poll reveals 65% of Chicagoans fear for their safety, with 44% believing the city is more dangerous than elsewhere.
This disconnect between reported drops and public sentiment is echoed in a recent Crain’s Chicago Business forum, where despite some statistical declines, public fear of violence remains high.
Statistics don’t ease the city’s dread.
The catch? Sheridan’s police data was preliminary and incomplete.
His swift narrative drew fire from law enforcement veterans like retired Chief Thomas Weitzel, who argued that reported declines stem from underreporting, not safer streets. Cases like recent shootings on South Pulaski and North Sheridan, where uncooperative victims hindered reporting, underscore this gap.
Chicago has long faced accusations of manipulating crime stats. A 2014 Chicago Magazine investigation exposed how serious crimes were downgraded or erased, warping perceptions.
Nationally, data reliability is questioned, with reports suggesting 2022 crime figures were quietly revised upward after initial declines. In 2024, job numbers were slashed by 818,000 in a low-key correction, fueling doubts about official stats.
When media amplify unverified figures, the result is spin, not journalism.
The prevailing sentiment among Chicagoans, as highlighted by the Crain’s forum and earlier polling, is that safety hasn’t improved or has worsened since 2024, reflecting distrust in rosy narratives.
Columnist John Kass skewered this, accusing media of trading truth for political favor, a critique that stings despite its sharp edge.
They are not journalists, they are political propagandists. They’re paid whores.
The gap between headlines and reality is stark. Recent reports detail a May 15 drive-by killing two children, a May 16 crash leaving one dead and 13 wounded, and a May 26 stabbing on North State Street—tragedies that feel routine. Violence prevention advocates bear witness to this toll, often drowned out by statistical boasts.
Chicago’s crime grows more complex with new threats.
Former gangster Tyrone Muhammad, who has announced his candidacy for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat vacated by long-term senator Dick Durbin, with the campaign slogan “We Are The Change We Want To See,” warned in 2024 of potential turf wars with Venezuelan gangs, echoed by reports of a gang member’s arrest.
Political moves, like State Representative La Shawn Ford’s social media purge and the resurfaced scrubbing of ties between Mayor Brandon Johnson and domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, raise questions about the intentions behind reported statistics during this upcoming election cycle.
These layers defy simple narratives.
The focus remains on spin.
Critics argue outlets like the Tribune and Sun-Times prioritize access over truth.
As Chicago braces for another volatile summer, honest journalism is critical.
With a majority of residents holding leaders accountable for safety, trust erodes under contradictory narratives.
Residents deserve facts, not cheerleading.
As of May 27, 2025, the violence’s scope is unclear, but only rigorous reporting, backed by community policing and transparent data audits, can confront Chicago’s challenges and rebuild faith.
Sources
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@RCInvestigates
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Boys, ages 17 and 14, murdered man during carjacking attempt after North Side crime spree, prosecutors say (27 May 2025) CWBChicago https://cwbchicago.com/2025/05/boys-ages-17-and-14-murdered-man-during-carjacking-attempt-after-north-side-crime-spree-prosecutors-say.html
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[Pic Credit 71st and Damen Homicide inside CitySmoke Shop May 23, 2025, at approx. 4:24 p.m (7th District) SubXNews John Kugler]
