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In a horrifying turn of events, between Friday night and early Monday morning, 54 people including an infant were shot in Chicago. Out of the 54, ten were killed throughout the South and West sides of the city. Of the ten killed, four were black males between the ages of 16 and 20. AND on the early morning after Father’s Day, nine people were shot during an outside barbecue.

The shootings have all been related to gang activity, homicides and street fights.

In an attempt to stop the violence, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is working to have handguns banned but many are concerned that the ban will only address those who legally obtain weapons, thus violating their constitutional rights. The law will be brought up to the Supreme Court who struck down a similar ban in the District of Columbia. Daley reports that 75 percent of the recent shootings involved people who knew each other and the the city is willing to pay $25 million in federal economic stimulus money on preventive programs for youth in high schools.

According to the Associated Press:

Chicago officials have said that if the Supreme Court rules against the city, they would look for ways to change gun restrictions so they aren’t unconstitutional. Chicago’s ordinance that makes it illegal to possess or sell handguns in the city.

Homicides from all causes are up slightly in Chicago over last year. Officials earlier this month said the city had 164 homicides between January and May — a 4 percent increase over the same period in 2009.

Beatrice Sumlin, who raised her children on the city’s South Side and said she knows lots of people whose children joined gangs, agreed with the mayor on the danger of family and friends hurting each other.

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