45 People Shot In Chicago on "Easter" Weekend - 9 Were Killed, 6 Were Children

— Among those killed were two teens who were involved in a dispute that apparently started on Facebook. —

Chicago, IL — The city of Chicago had a very bloody holiday weekend this past Easter that saw at least 45 people shot. Of the 45, 9 were actually killed and 6 were children.

Among those killed were two men who were slain in the South Lawndale neighborhood. They reportedly were sitting in a Lincoln Navigator when an orange Hummer blocked their path, two people wearing masks and armed with guns came out, and sprayed the Navigator with nearly a dozen bullets. And it all happened right near a police “blue light” camera. The Hummer of course then fled.

Also killed was a married couple, both law enforcement officers, who apparently died in a murder-suicide at their home on the Southwest Side.

There were also two teens who were found dead in an apartment building in the 8200 block of South Houston Avenue; Both had been shot in the head, and one boy’s mother said they were killed over a dispute that started out on Facebook.

Just how bad is gun violence in Chicago overall?

In 2012 alone, there were 516 murders. That number dropped to 415 murders in 2014, still a high number, but actually the lowest murder total for Chicago in nearly 50 years. On average the city averages about 450 annual murders.

So what do the city’s officials have to say?

The city’s superintendent said the vast majority of shootings in Chicago are gang-related, and detectives were working to determine “which of the hot conflicts” were to blame for the most recent spate of violence.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said addressing the violence isn’t just about what the police do – but what the schools, community groups and parents do to instill values in their children. He commented, “You can’t do this just by discussing how many police we have and counting heads. You can’t do this by figuring out many kids are in after school. We have to do all of that and more and we all know we have tough budgets.”

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said, “This doesn’t wipe out what has happened over the last two years, and this is a conversation that we’ve had time and time again There’s no magic formula here. We have a plan, we have a strategy, and it’s hard work. That’s what it is. … It’s a day-by-day, minute-by-minute grind, and we’re into busy season. That’s what it is.”