Mayor Emanuel's challengers: He's done too little on violence

After the bloodiest weekend of gun violence so far this year, Mayor Emanuel’s challengers have his job in their sights.

While each contender had a separate take on the relentless bloodshed, they all claimed Rahm Emanuel’s done too little.

“There are kids growing up in this city who experience a level of trauma and violence that is at least as bad, if not worse, than our veterans who've done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Lori Lightfoot.

Former public schools's CEO Paul Vallas focused on the scandalous fact that after 12 weekend killings, only one suspect was arrested. He blamed Emanuel for a longtime decline in the number of homicide detectives.

“Now they're hiring the police officers -- the police detectives -- back. But what do they do? They take a hundred detectives out of the detective division. They put 'em in uniform. And they got 'em walking Michigan Avenue,” Vallas said.

The former police superintendent who presided over part of that decline in detective headcount said killings, too, had declined until Emanuel fired him.

“There's almost 400 more murders over the last three years. That's mass murder. That's insanity. And the lies and the politics have to stop,” Garry McCarthy said.

“The mayor should've been leading this press conference to talk about the lack of investment in these communities, to talk about what is the plan or how he's going to invest money and bring businesses and create jobs,” said Ja’Mal Green.

A spokesman said Mayor Emanuel’s comprehensive, anti-violence plan includes more police and detectives, city hall investments in small businesses in violent neighborhoods and 32,000 summer jobs for young people.