Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Moves to Sue Gangs Over Gun Violence

by Shine My Crown Staff

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is expected to announce a radical plan to curb gun violence in her city — by suing gangs for gun-related violence.

“As a city we are using every tool to push back against the gangs that are leaving a trail of blood, death and misery in their wake,” Lightfoot said, according to Fox 32 Chicago.

“We have an opportunity to bring these violent street gangs into civil court, out of the shadows, and expose them for what they are and if we’re successful, and I think we will be, take their assets and the profit motive for killing our babies.”

If successful, the city would be allowed to seize property from gang members such as weapons, money and vehicles.

“What we are proposing is a tool in civil courts that gives us the opportunity to go after those gangs that are wreaking havoc,” Lightfoot continued, “and in particular, take away the profit motive from them by seizing assets that they have been able to purchase because of their violent activity in our neighborhoods.”

Chicago police Supt. David Brown also addressed the plan on Monday.

“They’re flashing guns. They’re flashing money. They’re flashing this lifestyle that gets cars and jewelry and it glamorizes this lifestyle,” Brown said.

This year, the Chicago Police Department has made a total of 1,931. The CPD has recovered total narcotics with an estimated street value of $328 million.

This weekend alone, 60 people were shot in Chicago, including 11 children. One of the children shot did not survive.

Not everybody is supportive of the new plans.

“Rather than spending time and resources on things that might look good in a press release or in a press conference, we really need to be focusing on proven solutions,” said the ACLU’s Angela Inzano. They fear the department would target the wrong people. “Most folks can’t afford a lawyer, for example, to represent them in these cases, so they have to go it alone in trying to get their assets back.”

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