CPD, FBI crack down on gun violence: 'We simply won't tolerate it'

FOX 32 NEWS - Chicago Police are making their presence known on the city's West and South sides in a massive show of force aimed at knocking down the violence often spurred by drug turf battles.

Police saturation teams, working along with the FBI, the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies, targeted “hot corners” in three main areas where the violence spiked this past month. Those corners were places know for drug deals and shootings.

Police were making traffic stops, parolee checks and other high visibility activity in the areas bounded by Halsted and Racine and 83rd to 87th, between Avers and Kedzie from Roosevelt to 16th street and between Madison and Congress from Lotus to Parkside.

"All of this is an effort to let people know we simply won’t tolerate the violence happening in our city right now,” said Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

Due to the saturation of officers, police nabbed three suspects who had carjacked a vehicle in the suburbs and driven it to Chicago. The vehicle crashed during a police chase and three individuals were arrested.

October was a particularly violent month in Chicago and two weeks ago, police began planning for this massive show of force and visibility. They also took part in what they called positive loitering activities where they stand with people and business owners and get help from them being directed to particular problem areas.

“We will continue this throughout the weekend as you can see, there are police everywhere and we just want to send a clear message that the people perpetrating this gun violence in our communities that we just simply won’t tolerate it,” Superintendent Johnson said.